Equality-Social aspects | - Theodore Roosevelt Center

The count’s voice

President Roosevelt and Uncle Sam listen to a “public opinion” gramophone that projects, “relief from oppressive trusts—a square deal for all, both white and black—honesty and efficiency—no foreign entanglements—retrenchment—economy.” The side of the gramophone says, “Xmas present to Theodore Roosevelt and Uncle Sam from the people.” In the background a number of man dance around a Christmas tree with different ornaments, including “larger navy,” “plenty,” “full work,” “peace,” and “army.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-24

Out West–the beginning of his finish

President Roosevelt is pasting a bill on a fence which reads, “Come hear my great speech on Reciprosity [sic] and Social Equality and other great things.” He has numerous “Speeches” in the pack that he carries. In the background is a mountain scene and a bear.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-04-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Grafton D. Cushing

President Roosevelt was very touched by the letter from Grafton D. Cushing, and feels just as he does. Many people in Roosevelt and Cushing’s social circles do not realize the fervor with which many Americans demand a change in the social order. If progress is not made under reasonable leadership, there is a risk of approaching revolution or tyranny, as occurred in France during the French Revolution. Likewise, if leadership is given to radicals like William Jennings Bryan or Eugene V. Debs, Roosevelt thinks that they will try to enact impossible programs and fail, leading once again to revolution. Roosevelt agrees with Cushing’s statement that the government must be concerned with the primacy of justice and the equality of opportunity.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Silas McBee

President Roosevelt is disappointed by Luke Lea’s letter sent to him by Silas McBee. While the president is pleased about what Lea says regarding Roosevelt’s attitude concerning “social equality,” the president has concerns about several other portions in Lea’s letter. Roosevelt disagrees with almost everything Lea says about politics in Tennessee. First, the president has tried to appoint good leaders, even if they have not been Republicans, something Lea thinks Roosevelt is not doing. Second, Lea believes men should be allowed to hold office no matter what their color, another policy Roosevelt has already been pursuing. Finally, Roosevelt says the campaign buttons in question had the opposite effect Lea mentioned. The president tells Abbott he can show Lea Roosevelt’s letter if he wishes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-15

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt tells Lyman Abbott he found Bishop Robert Strange’s letter interesting, albeit in a melancholic way. He takes issue with Strange’s comment that ‘the Republicans take the negro and hammer us back into a solid mass,’ and wants to know which of his actions could be interpreted as establishing “Negro domination,” “miscegenation,” or “social equality of the races.” Roosevelt states people in the South typically have no issues with his policies in their area, but only speak vaguely of issues in other districts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Grenville M. Dodge

President Roosevelt is trying to determine how he can explain he has the interest of the Southern white man in mind just as much as the Northern white man without giving up his principles. He does not want to do injustice to black men and believes in equality of opportunity, but not in social equality or miscegenation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Lowndes McLaurin

President Roosevelt thanks John Lowndes McLaurin for his congratulations and letter. Roosevelt assures McLaurin that he wants justice for white men in southern and northern states and nothing more than a square deal for the colored man. Roosevelt is interested in McLaurin’s views on suffrage and plans to study them before expressing his opinion on them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-01

Danger ahead, and the engineer is color blind

President Roosevelt rides a train on the “black/white” line that is headed toward a “social equality” break in the tracks.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09

You’d better hurry, Hanna; there’s already a fellow up the tree

President Roosevelt climbs up a “white patience” tree to reach for the Southern African American delegate vote. He holds “federal patronage,” African American social equality, and the “National Republican Convention vote.” The tree is bent dangerously over “obscurity” water, and Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna watches from below.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-11-20

Chickens will come home to roost

President Roosevelt, dressed in his Rough Rider uniform and brandishing a cavalry saber, attempts to defend the “Republican hennery” from a number of chickens labeled “race equality,” “strikes,” and “trusts.” A “postal frauds” chicken attempts to skirt around Roosevelt, while an “imperialism” chicken has already snuck past Roosevelt and is entering the coop.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09

A real rough ride

President Roosevelt, holding a “big stick,” and Charles W. Fairbanks ride a horse toward the United States Capitol building. There are a number of rocks ahead of them: “grafting officials,” “disregard of Constitution,” “trusts,” “secret pension list,” “Army appointments,” “blunder,” and “social equality.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-09

A good citizen

This newspaper article mentions information from another newspaper about an African American farmer who was able to pay his rent and $1,900 he owed and still have money in the bank. The article in the Montgomery Advertiser suggests all that African Americans want is “exactly the same chance to earn an honest living and to enjoy the fruits of their labor.” The writer believes African Americans will stay in Alabama if white people “go at it the right way.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-14

Roosevelt and the South

In this article, Thomas G. Bush of Alabama discusses his thoughts on President Roosevelt, economic progress in the South, and race relations. Bush notes Roosevelt has appointed Republicans and Democrats for postmaster positions in the South and that the president is not in favor of social equality to African Americans. Additionally, Bush mentions Roosevelt’s hope that business development will grow in the South by the end of his term so that it will be an “equal sharer in the prosperity of the whole country.” Finally, Roosevelt believes the Panama Canal will help open up trading between the South and Asian countries.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-23

Editorial regarding the Election of 1908

Draft of an editorial describing a meeting between Frederick Morgan Davenport, a professor at Hamilton College, and Secretary of War William H. Taft. Davenport compares the current political and economic climate with that in 1812, with the patriotic and commercial interests at cross-purposes. The author trusts that the popular interests will prevail over the commercial ones, and goes on to relay Davenport’s thoughts on the election chances of both Taft and New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-13

Equality--Social aspects

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