Handwritten draft of Theodore Roosevelt’s speech given at the semi-centennial celebration of Nebraska’s statehood. Roosevelt recalls America’s two wars up to the present, the Revolutionary and the Civil Wars, and says that they were good for the country because they established liberties for its citizens. He warns that World War I is threatening those liberties due to pacifists and a lack of military preparation by the United States. He calls for loyalty to America from its immigrant population and for voluntary service in the military and aid organizations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1917-06-14

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Language

English

Period

Post-Presidential Years (1913-January 6, 1919)

Repository

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Page Count

16

Production Method

Handwritten

Record Type

Multi-image

Resource Type

Speech

Rights

These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.

Citation

Cite this Record

Chicago:

Nebraska March (semi-centennial celebration). [June 14, 1917]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288864. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Nebraska March (semi-centennial celebration). [14 Jun. 1917]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 5, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288864.

APA:

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1917, June 14]. Nebraska March (semi-centennial celebration).
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288864.

Cite this Collection

Chicago:

Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 5, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.

APA:

Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.