J.B. West

J.B. West the author of Upstairs at the White House was considered the “the most powerful man in Washington next to the president.” He served as the chief usher of the White House from 1957 to 1969. Born in Afton, Iowa, West attended Creston High School, and in 1939, he moved to Washington, where he served in the Veterans Administration. He began his work at the white house as an assistant chief usher and later got a promotion when the previous Chief Usher retired. His responsibilities included being in charge of all the activities in the Executive Residence. He oversaw the power transition after the JF Kennedy assassination. After his retirement in 1969, West wrote a memoir titled Upstairs at the White House. The book became a bestseller and was later mentioned as one of the most useful memoirs ever written by a White House staffer. West died in 1983 due to respiratory failure.