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Memorial advertisement in honor of Minda E. Tilchin, sister of Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal editor William N. Tilchin who remarks on her steadfast support of his work as a historian and editor. Two color photographs appear in the memorial.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2017
William N. Tilchin compares Theodore Roosevelt’s 1904 election victory to that of Joseph R. Biden in 2020 and notes that the electoral count maps for the two elections are quite similar. Tilchin examines the history of the “solid South” and its dominance by Democratic and Republican candidates in two distinct periods, and he notes that Roosevelt and Biden both, in varying degrees, lost the former states of the Confederacy, with Biden enjoying some success while Roosevelt lost every state of the former Confederacy.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2020
William N. Tilchin examines the variety of people drawn to Theodore Roosevelt, and he notes that most embrace a particular aspect of his life or career while there are others, himself included, who he characterizes as “all-in Rooseveltians” who adopt Roosevelt’s thinking whole. Tilchin admits that he approaches each election and his voting choices from this position, and he asks which candidates meet the test of adhering to positions staked out by Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2020
William N. Tilchin charts the path to publication of the translation of a French booklet about Theodore Roosevelt by Leon Bazalgette. The 1905 tract was translated by Roosevelt biographer Edmund Morris and offered to John A. Gable, editor of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal (TRAJ), in 2001. Tilchin describes the rediscovery of the translation by Gregory A. Wynn and the subsequent enlistment of the French Roosevelt scholar Serge Ricard to assist in the publication and contextualization of the translation. The front cover illustrations from works by Ricard and Morris supplement the text.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2020
William N. Tilchin extends his gratitude to Amy Krueger, designer of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal (TRAJ) from 2013 to 2019, for her years of service in designing the TRAJ and for her work in designing Spotlighting TR: Selections from the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal, 2007-2014. Tilchin also acknowledges the work of Krueger’s predecessor James H. Stroud and introduces the new designer Susanna Ludwig.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2020
William N. Tilchin presents an excerpt from a letter he wrote to members of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) upon the occasion of the end of his term as President of the TRA. Tilchin focuses on the work and legacy of John A. Gable, the long-time Executive Director of the TRA, and says that he remains focused on carrying out Gable’s work. On a separate matter, Tilchin notes that he erred in his characterization of a series of letters from Theodore Roosevelt to the Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park published in the Fall 2018 issue.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2019
William N. Tilchin charts his intellectual and professional journey with Theodore Roosevelt from his time as a graduate student at Michigan State University and Brown University to his tenure as editor of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Tilchin credits two of his graduate school professors and John A. Gable of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) for encouraging his study of Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2019
William N. Tilchin highlights some of the items in this issue of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal, including letters from two former presidents, George Bush and Theodore Roosevelt, and a focus on Michael Patrick Cullinane’s Theodore Roosevelt’s Ghost. Tilchin also notes how the Theodore Roosevelt Association is trying to negotiate the highly partisan political atmosphere in the nation and that it is a “nonpartisan” organization whose members are free to express their beliefs in a variety of forums.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2018
William N. Tilchin announces that this issue of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal features two new columns by Susan Sarna and Richard Marschall which focus on items from the collection at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site and on political cartoons depicting Theodore Roosevelt. Tilchin also notes that an upcoming issue will inaugurate an additional column by Nicole E. Goldstein centered on Theodore Roosevelt Island, and he notes that this issue focuses on Roosevelt, his son Quentin Roosevelt, and World War I.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2018
William N. Tilchin chronicles his friendship with John E. Willson who became a major benefactor of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal beginning in 2014. Tilchin notes his and Willson’s support of the Boston Red Sox, and he encourages readers to make contributions to the Dr. John A. Gable Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal Endowment Fund in Willson’s memory.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2017
William N. Tilchin gives an overview of the contents of this issue, praises the artwork by John Seerey-Lester found on the front and back covers, and reviews the three different types of advertisements, publisher, booster, and memorial, available for purchase and placement in the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2016
William N. Tilchin challenges the assertions of political scientist Justin S. Vaughn made on the editorial page of the New York Times regarding the best and worst former United States presidents. Tilchin contends that Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter do not meet the standard of the best category while Theodore Roosevelt does not belong in the worst category. Tilchin criticizes the field of political science for its lack of historical knowledge, and he chastises the New York Times for publishing a poor piece of scholarship.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2015
William N. Tilchin reviews Ken Burns’s documentary film The Roosevelts: An Intimate History about Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Tilchin examines all seven episodes of the documentary, and he largely praises the latter episodes devoted to the Hyde Park Roosevelts while expressing serious reservations about the first two episodes centered on Theodore Roosevelt. Tilchin criticizes the treatment of Roosevelt’s service prior to and during the Spanish-American War by Burns and by three “talking head” commentators, and he admonishes the film for its coverage of Roosevelt’s presidential diplomacy. Tilchin also faults Burns for failing to recognize the evil nature of Joseph Stalin’s reign over the Soviet Union. Overall, Tilchin finds much to like in the film, but he believes that it will never be seen as “a masterpiece.”
The review is supplemented with twenty-six images over ten pages from the Theodore Roosevelt Collection at Harvard University and by three illustrations of the DVD set from the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2015
William N. Tilchin reports that he has received favorable feedback regarding his review of Ken Burns’s documentary on the Roosevelt family which appeared in the Winter-Spring-Summer 2015 issue of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Tilchin quotes from email and letters he received, and he highlights letters received from William J. Vanden Heuvel of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute. Tilchin closes with commentary reflecting on the shared perspectives of Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2015
William N. Tilchin provides a very brief history of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) prior to the appointment in 1974 of John A. Gable as its executive director. Tilchin notes that Gable began publishing the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal (TRAJ) in 1975, and he believes that the TRAJ helped grow the membership of the TRA.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2016
William N. Tilchin gives a report on the 2015 annual meeting of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) held in Boston, Massachusetts. Tilchin lists the planners of the meeting, and he dwells on the events held at the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University and at the Algonquin Club in Boston. Tilchin describes the major events of the weekend, including the conferring of the TRA Boston Police Awards, the Saturday symposium, and the annual dinner. Tilchin highlights the symposium speakers and their topics as well as the winners of TRA awards presented at the dinner.
Thirteen photographs of some of the speakers, guests, and dignitaries at the meeting populate the report along with two other images from the events, and two menus from the Algonquin Club.
William N. Tilchin examines the history of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal (TRAJ) with an emphasis on the work of John A. Gable, the long-time executive director of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) and the founder and editor of the TRAJ. Tilchin explains that Gable founded the TRAJ as a way to grow the membership of the TRA and to provide an outlet for the study of Theodore Roosevelt. Tichin notes that Gable succeeded in both tasks, and he explains the changes he has made to the TRAJ during his tenue which began in 2006. The changes include requiring peer review of submitted manuscripts, publishing regular columns like “Presidential Snapshots” and “The Material Culture of Theodore Roosevelt,” and updating the design and layout of the journal.
The article includes nineteen front cover illustrations from the TRAJ as well as six pages of excerpts from articles, reviews, and speeches. A text box with the mission statement of the TRA appears at the end of the article.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2015-10-03
William N. Tilchin addresses the members of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) upon his assuming the presidency of the TRA. Tilchin recounts the difficult years experienced by the TRA between 2005 and 2009, and he praises his predecessor as President, Tweed Roosevelt, for his leadership during and after this period. Tilchin concludes his remarks by noting the various programs that will continue and new initiatives that have been undertaken such as the TRA book prize. A photograph of Tilchin and Roosevelt supplements the text.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2016-10-29
William N. Tilchin discusses the long process of compiling, editing, and publishing Spotlighting TR: Selections from the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal, 2007-2014. Tilchin notes the obstacles presented by finances and finding enough time to work on the project. Tilchin acknowledges the support of Boston University for a sabbatical leave and Amy Krueger for her design and production work.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2017
William N. Tilchin argues that three principles that guided the foreign policy of Theodore Roosevelt–the global interests principle, the power principle, and the civilization principle–were also at the heart of the bipartisan foreign policy of the United States that prevailed in the Cold War. Tilchin gives examples of how each of these principles manifested themselves during Roosevelt’s presidency, citing Roosevelt’s mediation of the Russo-Japanese War, the growth of the U.S. Navy, and a warm relationship with Great Britain. Tilchin says that these principles were largely ignored by Roosevelt’s successors, but that they were rediscovered during World War II and sustained during the Cold War.
A photograph of Tilchin appears in the article, and the article is followed by a full-page photograph of Roosevelt standing next to, and with his right hand resting on a large globe.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
1999