Trailing A Celebrity: Press Coverage of Theodore Roosevelt’s African Safari 1909-1910
Subject(s): Akeley, Carl Ethan, 1864-1926, Big game hunting, Bonnefon, Jean de, 1866-1928, Butt, Archibald Willingham, 1866-1912, Dawson, Warrington, 1878-1962, Ex-presidents, Foran, W. Robert (William Robert), 1882-, Griscom, Lloyd Carpenter, 1872-1959, Hunting stories, American, Hunting--Public opinion, Hurlburt, Charles E., Long, William J. (William Joseph), 1867-1952, McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949, Mearns, Edgar Alexander, 1856-1916, Reporters and reporting, Roosevelt, Kermit, 1889-1943, Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919, Safaris, Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930
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Gary Rice examines how the press covered Theodore Roosevelt’s 1909-1910 African safari. Rice stresses that Roosevelt wanted to severely restrict journalists’ access to his safari because the former president had signed contracts to publish his own articles and books, and he wanted to control what was written. Rice also notes that the press extensively covered Roosevelt’s preparations for the trip, and he highlights a scandal that erupted when a French journalist published an unauthorized story about Roosevelt during the safari. Roosevelt later relented and allowed American reporters Robert W. Foran and Warrington Dawson to file reports from Africa.
Rice notes that much of the coverage of the safari dealt with the number of animals Roosevelt had killed, and it stoked debates about the ethics of Roosevelt’s hunting. Rice concludes that Roosevelt’s safari and its coverage provided him with “an even bigger, more favorable public image.” Three photographs of Roosevelt in Africa appear in the article.
Collection
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
Creation Date
1996
Creator(s)
Language
English
Period
Theodore Roosevelt and Public Memory (1919-present)
Page Count
13
Production Method
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
No permission is required from the Theodore Roosevelt Association to use items in the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal collection for educational purposes. For permissions, contact William Tilchin at (516) 921-6319 or by email at wnt@bu.edu
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Trailing A Celebrity: Press Coverage of Theodore Roosevelt’s African Safari 1909-1910. [1996]. Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o307978. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Rice, Gary. Trailing A Celebrity: Press Coverage of Theodore Roosevelt’s African Safari 1909-1910. [1996]. Image.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. August 3, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o307978.
APA:
Rice, Gary., [1996]. Trailing A Celebrity: Press Coverage of Theodore Roosevelt’s African Safari 1909-1910.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o307978.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. August 3, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.
APA:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.
