African Americans--Politics and government

This excerpt from a biography of Captain Francis Warrington Dawson published in pamphlet form in 1877 focuses on Dawson’s actions during the municipal elections in Charleston, South Carolina in 1868. Dawson’s attempt to unite with African American men and put them on the ticket failed. He was able to bring Democrats and African American men together for the first political meeting between the two groups. Dawson had great concern for the welfare and prosperity of the freed persons at the time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-07

President Roosevelt expresses his opinions and position on the voting rights of African American men. He condemns fraudulent voting practices that seek to disfranchise African American voters and explains why he regards the solutions of some in Congress as merely expedient. Roosevelt also writes that he hopes The Outlook will write stronger editorials regarding the political nature of this issue.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1904-12-16

President Roosevelt greatly admires William H. Lewis and believes any man loyal to the principles of the Republican party should support him. Unfortunately, Roosevelt cannot interfere in any local political contests.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-12

David C. Outlear informs Theodore Roosevelt that he has been elected president of the newly established New York County Colored Republican Organization. Outlear sends Roosevelt a copy of his address to the organization’s members. The chairman of the country Republicans is aware of the organization of African American Republicans and hopes Roosevelt will provide a word of encouragement to add to the Republican cause.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-04

Sixteen appointees are listed for the State, Treasury, War, Post Office, and Interior Departments. The list includes the posts to which President Roosevelt nominated them and the dates of the appointments.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-22

Booker T. Washington would like to see President Roosevelt on Saturday afternoon or evening.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-25

Booker T. Washington encloses a card with a sentence on it, which he thinks President Roosevelt might like to read.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-26

Booker T. Washington would like to see President Roosevelt before he makes a decision regarding the Cohen case.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-23

Booker T. Washington asks permission to use President Roosevelt’s name on behalf of a committee to raise funds for a memorial to William H. Baldwin. Roosevelt’s permission will require no additional work or responsibility.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-09

Booker T. Washington would like President Roosevelt to read an enclosed editorial from the Montgomery Times.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-09

An unknown author and his colleagues offer Booker T. Washington suggestions for the improvement of an address. They offer corrections in word choice, the use of excessively abstract and generalized language, and a recommendation to consider social equality as an individual matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-02

Booker T. Washington urges President Roosevelt to not announce any decisions concerning registership. Roosevelt must first see Scott and Anderson.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-02

Booker T. Washington is sending President Roosevelt a letter that Washington feels Roosevelt should see before he finishes his address for Lincoln’s birthday.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-26

Ernest Hamlin Abbott writes to President Roosevelt concerning an article The Outlook is publishing in reference to congressional representation of Southern States as they relate to their African American population. Abbott asks if Roosevelt could suggest someone who may express the Northern viewpoint for the article.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-13

Booker T. Washington suggests William H. Lewis for a vacancy in the United States District Attorney’s office in Boston. Washington believes this appointment will counter Southern criticism about appointing African Americans.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-06

Hilary A. Herbert believes African Americans “will probably misunderstand” what President Roosevelt’s re-election means for their lives.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-14

Ansley Wilcox commends President Roosevelt’s policy on the “negro question” and is sorry to hear of the failure of the Philippine tariff bill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-05

In an editorial for The Century, Editor Richard Watson Gilder defends President Theodore Roosevelt’s actions on the “colored question” in the South. Gilder reminds readers that Roosevelt’s mother hailed from the South and suggests patience to Roosevelt’s critics, encouraging them to “judge the President by his whole conduct toward the South” and by all of his appointments, regardless of their racial makeup. Gilder asserts that the minority appointments Roosevelt has made are not radical or threatening but are in line with his “especial endeavor to appoint good men to office everywhere.” In concluding, Gilder qualifies his remarks with a reminder that the magazine has not agreed with every Roosevelt appointment and that its chief aim is to champion fair play.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

James Kimble Vardaman criticizes President Roosevelt’s selection of black men as postmasters. He also criticizes the administration’s position in standing behind Minnie M. Geddings Cox as postmaster.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-10

African American delegates who were excluded from the Alabama Republican State Convention issue an open letter “To the Republicans of Alabama,” protesting that their exclusion violates both the state and federal constitutions and deserves the “severest condemnation.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-09