African American soldiers

Mark E. Episkopos asserts that Theodore Roosevelt resides at the center of Mark Lee Gardner’s Rough Riders: Theodore Roosevelt, His Cowboy Regiment, and the Immortal Charge Up San Juan Hill to such a degree “that it doubles as a partial biography of Roosevelt.” Episkopos highlights Gardner’s treatment of the unity of the Rough Riders, despite class differences between its cowboys and eastern college graduates, Roosevelt’s advocacy on behalf of his troopers after the war, and the various voices that tried to dismiss Roosevelt’s heroism in battle. A photograph and a painting of the Rough Riders and the front cover of the book illustrate the review.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

2016

Gary Ross Mormino explores the relationship between Florida, Cuba, and the Spanish-American War. Mormino describes the enclaves of Cuban immigrants in Florida, and he notes that cities like Key West, Florida, were home to revolutionary movements and figures like Jose Marti. Mormino examines the influx of soldiers into Florida cities such as Tampa, Lakeland, and Miami, and he details the not unexpected difficulties with drink, women, and race relations between white and African American soldiers. Mormino also describes the chaotic mustering and departure of the troops from Florida, and he asserts that while much of Florida may have experienced a temporary economic boost from the war, it had “little long-term impact” on the state.

Eight photographs and five illustrations populate the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Quintard Taylor provides a history of the African American servicemen, the Buffalo Soldiers, who served in the American West after the Civil War, and he examines the relationship between Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and two regiments of the Buffalo Soldiers, the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry, that served alongside the Rough Riders in Cuba. Taylor highlights the heroics of individual Buffalo Soldiers, including recipients of the Medal of Honor, and he quotes extensively from Roosevelt’s writings to give Roosevelt’s views on these servicemen. Taylor examines a dispute that arose after the war when Roosevelt questioned the actions of some of the Tenth Cavalry men at the Battle of San Juan Heights. 

A photograph of Taylor, five photographs of various Buffalo Soldiers, and an illustration of Roosevelt with Booker T. Washington appear in the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

In this two part article, John A. Gable traces the origins of President Theodore Roosevelt’s use of the term “Square Deal” to his great western tour in the Spring of 1903. Gable asserts that the first use of the exact term can be found in Roosevelt’s speech at the Grand Canyon on May 6, 1903, and he notes that the first two uses of the term were in reference to Native American and African American soldiers whom Roosevelt praised for their service in the Spanish-American War. The article includes the text of Roosevelt’s Grand Canyon speech and a short excerpt from his speech at Abraham Lincoln’s tomb in Springfield, Illinois.

A photograph of Roosevelt speaking in Evanston, Illinois during the western tour and a text box with a listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association supplement the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Hamilton Fish recounts a confrontation between former President Theodore Roosevelt and labor leader Samuel Gompers at a July 6, 1917 reception for a delegation from the new Russian government of Aleksandr Kerensky. Fish personally witnessed the confrontation, and claims that it resulted from Gompers’s denunciation of African American strikebreakers in East St. Louis, Illinois. Roosevelt criticized Gompers for his message and the “meeting became a riot,” and Roosevelt had to be escorted to safety.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1975

President Roosevelt looks off into the distance as he ponders what is written on a piece of paper: “Discharge of Negro soldiers without honor.” Just above the cartoon are verses from the book of Daniel and the directive to “hold this page up to the light and look through the blank space.” Caption: The warning.

comments and context

Comments and Context

A Virginia newspaper reprinted this cartoon by Eugene Zimmerman (“Zim”) in Judge Magazine about President Roosevelt’s dilemma following his dismissal of black troops in the “Brownsville Affair.” Judge was a Republican weekly political-cartoon journal, the counterpart of Puck, and was established by former Puck cartoonists.

Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, depicted as Marc Antony, gestures to a group of African American men looking down at one man on a pole stretcher covered with a blanket labeled “Brownsville Battalion” with the number 23 on the side. Caption: Antony: “If you have votes, prepare to shed them now.”

Comments and Context

The New Orleans Times-Democrat was one of the South’s newspapers that beat the editorial drum loudest against the cashiered soldiers in the Brownsville Affair. While the shooting death and wounding of two men outside a saloon near Black Army barracks was — and still is — an unsolved matter, cartoonists like Trist Wood were judges and juries all by themselves.

In this cartoon the blacks are portrayed stereotypically, even to a straight razor supposedly favored in internal squabbles, and the Republican (and longtime, preternatural anti-Roosevelt partisan) Senator Joseph Benson Foraker of Ohio haranguing them. Oddly — since black votes carried little weight at the time — his motives are cast as electoral pandering.

In this editorial for the Nashville Banner, J. A. Jones comments on the recent dismissal of African American soldiers due to the Brownsville affair. He lists some of the good things President Roosevelt has done for the African American community but critiques him for not speaking out about lynching and race riots. Jones suggests that Texas handles its own affairs and Roosevelt stay out of it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-23

From his carriage, President Roosevelt tips his hat to the crowd gathered at the Presidio, now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. At Roosevelt’s request, he is accompanied by the 9th Cavalry Honor Guard, also known as the “Buffalo Soldiers.” The unit had served at San Juan Hill in Cuba along with Roosevelt and the Rough Riders.

Collection

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Creation Date

1903-05-13

The article on page one, “Senator Foraker’s Attack on President Came So Unexpectedly Chief Executive Could Not Retort Effectively,” covers the Brownsville incident.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1907-01-29

Theodore Roosevelt fought beside “colored troops” in Santiago. If the soldiers are good enough to fight beside him, they deserve a “square deal in civil life.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-27

President Roosevelt greets onlookers at the Lincoln Monument in Springfield, Illinois. He is proud that the guard around the tomb is composed of colored soldiers and discusses serving with colored soldiers in Santiago.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-06-04

General Frederick Dent Grant and General Andrew Sheridan Burt (commander) returning from Mount Arayat, at the head of the famous 25th Infantry, colored. Filmed March 23, 1900, in the Philippine Islands, following the 25th Infantry’s participation at the battle of Mt. Arayat in January 1900.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1900

Theodore Roosevelt sympathizes with the concerns of Nancy Michie Wayland and answers that his regiment has not been raised and there is no immediate likelihood of it being raised. Wayland was likely asking for her son, James Patrick Wayland, who was a soldier.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-03-05

President Roosevelt has received Secretary of War Wright’s letter and Mr. Brown’s report on the Brownsville Affair. Roosevelt concurs with Wright that this report does not need to be sent to Congress. Roosevelt observes that the report uses the testimony of “the colored men themselves” to establish that it was “colored soldiers” who were responsible for the shootings. In particular, the report’s findings make it clear to Roosevelt that Mingo Sanders should not be reinstated. This material will be made available to the board making decisions about reinstatement if the Senate legislation on the matter passes, and to the president if the board approves any reinstatements.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-07

President Roosevelt has forwarded Senator Borah’s letter to Secretary of War Luke E. Wright. However, Roosevelt reminds Borah that his previous messages about the “Brownsville matter” have always advocated for giving the president the power to reenlist these soldiers. Roosevelt encloses a copy of his most recent letter to Senator Nelson W. Aldrich.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-03

The objection to the Brownsville Affair bill that President Roosevelt discussed with Senator Borah this morning is no longer a concern. Roosevelt consulted Secretary of War Luke E. Wright, who asserted that the bill will not compel the president to reinstate any soldiers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-02

President Roosevelt has seen Secretary of War Luke E. Wright since he wrote to Senator Aldrich this morning. Wright is of the opinion that the Brownsville Affair bill would not require the president to allow the reenlistment of eligible men. Roosevelt is relieved, but wants this interpretation to be explicitly outlined in the bill for future reference. He is sure that future presidents will listen to the board, but he does not want his successors to be “compelled” to act on their recommendations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-02

A notable lawyer’s interpretation of the current version of the Brownsville Affair bill compounds the dissatisfaction with the bill’s wording that President Roosevelt has already articulated to Senator Aldrich. Roosevelt worries that the bill will compel the reenlistment of any man found innocent by the board of officers, a measure that he strongly opposes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-02

President Roosevelt sends Lyman Abbott letters he wrote to various Senators about the Brownsville incident and a matter concerning Colonel William F. Stewart. Roosevelt asserts his executive authority as President to make determinations about the dismissal and stationing of soldiers, citing past precedents. He also provides his rationale for dismissing the Brownsville soldiers and for refusing to grant Stewart a court of inquiry.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-10