Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

William N. Tilchin examines the foreign policy views of President Theodore Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman. Tilchin provides an overview of the major crises and decisions faced by both presidents, and he also looks at the administrations between Roosevelt and Truman and how each president approached the practice of diplomacy. Tilchin notes the importance of four Secretaries of State: John Hay and Elihu Root under Roosevelt and George C. Marshall and Dean Acheson under Truman, and he outlines their core beliefs and how they influenced each president. Tilchin concludes by comparing aspects of Roosevelt’s and Truman’s foreign policies and by asserting that each understood the primacy of power in international affairs.

A photograph of Roosevelt on horseback, without an accompanying caption, supplements the text. A listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association along with the members of its executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees is found on page two of the essay.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

This edition of “News and Notes” has five sections. Brief histories of the three ships and one submarine that have carried the name of Theodore Roosevelt are provided in “The Aircraft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt.” This section also highlights the five different Roosevelts who have served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. “TR Exhibit at the LBJ Library in Texas” revisits the Theodore exhibit at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. It lists fourteen of the archives, museums, and historic sites that lent items to the exhibit, and it promotes the sale of the exhibit catalogue and poster.

“Meadowcroft” covers a July 1903 visit by Roosevelt to the home of his cousin John Ellis Roosevelt on the south shore of Long Island. It also relates the events surrounding “Theodore Roosevelt Day at Meadowcroft” on July 28, 1984, which celebrated and recreated President Roosevelt’s visit. “Rough Riders Museum in New Mexico” examines why there is a museum dedicated to the Rough Riders in Las Vegas, New Mexico. It looks at the state’s contributions to the regiment and highlights some of the reunions held in Las Vegas.

The final and untitled section notes events involving the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) and its work: the conferring of a TRA award to a high school student, a radio interview of the TRA’s Executive Director John A. Gable, and a listing of programs at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites.

A photograph of President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the graves of General Theodore Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt is found on the first page of “News and Notes.” Four photographs of the Paul Manship statue of President Roosevelt on Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, D.C. and an illustration of Mount Rushmore National Memorial accompany the text.

Article about the launching of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on October 27, 1984. The article has four parts. The first section notes the speakers and dignitaries at the ceremony, quotes from three of the speakers, and describes the christening of the ship. The second section, “The New Big Stick,” gives details about the ship’s construction and its capabilities and notes the other aircraft carriers that belong to the Nimitz class of carriers. “Aircraft Carrier is Fourth Ship Named After Theodore Roosevelt” discusses the two other ships and one ballistic missile submarine that were named to honor Roosevelt. “The Roosevelt Navy Tradition” examines Roosevelt’s relationship with the Navy and discusses the four other members of the Roosevelt family who, like Theodore Roosevelt, served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

Nine photographs of the christening and launching of the carrier and a photograph of the USS Louisiana supplement the text. A listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association and the members of its executive committee is found on the second page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1985

This edition of the “News and Notes” section features the announcement of a “Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Naval History Prize” to be awarded annually by the New York Council of the Navy League. The announcement discusses the background of the award, who will serve as judges, and how to apply. The section also covers five speaking engagements undertaken by John A. Gable, Executive Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA), during the fall of 1984. Brief notes on a variety of ceremonies, celebrations, a children’s play, and a traveling exhibit about Roosevelt complete the section.

An illustration of teddy bears taken from Robert Quackenbush’s Don’t You Dare Shoot That Bear!, a photograph of some of the dignitaries involved in the launch of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and a photograph of sculptor Gregory Glasson and his family supplement the text.

The “News and Notes” section returns after a hiatus in the prior two issues. The section opens with a listing of the deaths of seven people in 1985 who had some connection to Theodore Roosevelt or the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA), and this issue is dedicated to them. The deaths of Peter R. Fisher and John E. Roosevelt are discussed at length in the issue while the life of Harold R. Kraft is examined in this section. The section also covers the visit of a delegation from the Netherlands to Oyster Bay, New York, in connection with the establishment of the Roosevelt Study Center in Middelburg, Province of Zeeland, in the Netherlands. The purpose of the Center, some of its leadership, and the role of the TRA in its founding are examined. 

A brief on the “Theodore” exhibit at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum and a notice about a lecture given by John A. Gable at Grey Towers, Gifford Pinchot’s home, complete the section. Two photographs of members of the Dutch delegation in Oyster Bay, New York, are found in the section.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Frederick W. Marks explores why Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy record is either ignored or dismissed in high school textbooks. Marks examines Roosevelt’s diplomacy, especially his dealings with Latin American nations, to assert that Roosevelt had a record worthy of study and recognition. Marks notes the irony in Roosevelt’s poor treatment at the hands of historians as Roosevelt was an accomplished historian and a president of the American Historical Association. Marks concludes his article by asking why Roosevelt’s record is downplayed, and he argues that Roosevelt’s larger than life personality overshadows his achievements and that the standards for judging diplomatic behavior in 1900 and 1985 are markedly different. 

A photograph of Marks and of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site appear in the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Kenneth D. Crews reviews John Milton Cooper’s dual biography The Warrior and the Priest: Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt. Crews highlights Wilson’s leadership of Princeton University, disagrees with Cooper’s emphasis on the year 1907 as pivotal for both presidents, and looks at their differing philosophies in the 1912 campaign. Crews also believes that Cooper’s characterization of Roosevelt as a warrior and Wilson as a priest is problematic, but he concludes that the book “is essential and excellent reading.”

The review features an excerpt from the book highlighted in bold, italicized text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

Serge Ricard traces the presence of Theodore Roosevelt in France by surveying the works of French authors and historians and finds that Roosevelt has struggled to gain a large following in France when compared to other American presidents. Ricard lists some of the translations of Roosevelt’s writings, notes the rise of interest in Roosevelt during his presidency, and discusses the long gaps in Roosevelt scholarship produced in France. Ricard also lists six articles he has written about Roosevelt.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

Creator(s)

Ricard, Serge

This notice covers the research grants awarded by The American Museum of Natural History in New York City from its Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund for 1984. Forty-eight grants were awarded, with the largest grants given to three researchers highlighted in the article. The article lists the members of the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Committee, which administers the fund, traces the growth of the program in numbers of applicants, awards granted, and value of the fund, and it highlights the roles Theodore Roosevelt and his father played in the history of the museum.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

Creator(s)

Unknown

Brief clips from a documentary on Franklin D. Roosevelt. An exterior shot of the White House, followed by a clip of Theodore Roosevelt addressing a crowd from a stand decorated in U.S. flag bunting, making his famous hand-chopping gesture, followed by a snippet of Franklin Roosevelt’s face.

Collection

Sherman Grinberg Film Collection

Creation Date

Unknown

Creator(s)

Unknown

Report on the luncheon at the White House on October 27, 1982, on the occasion of the presentation of Theodore Roosevelt’s Nobel Peace Prize Medal to President Ronald Reagan. The report describes the ceremony and lists all of the guests, including the leadership of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, the Roosevelt family, and White House staff.

Five photographs of the gathering, all of which feature Reagan, accompany the report.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983

Edmund Morris imagines meeting Theodore Roosevelt outside of a restaurant in Washington, D.C. They discuss Roosevelt’s Nobel Peace Prize and they compare the political scene of 1982 with that of 1902.

Four photographs are included in the piece: one each of Edmund and Sylvia Morris; one of a group of Roosevelt historians; and one of members of the Theodore Roosevelt Association.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983

Peter R. Fisher gives a brief review of Joseph Alsop’s FDR, 1882-1945: A Centenary Remembrance and praises it for its photographs and many anecdotes while acknowledging that its discussion of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s career is “superficial.”

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1982

Creator(s)

Fisher, Peter R. (Peter Rowe), 1933-1985

In this obituary for Nicholas Roosevelt, John A. Gable examines his involvement in Republican party politics, his career as a newspaper journalist, and work as an author. Gable also covers his efforts in conservation in the state of California.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1982

Creator(s)

Gable, John A.

John A. Gable examines Theodore Roosevelt’s connections to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. He looks at its founding by Roosevelt’s father, notes the many specimens donated by Roosevelt, and highlights contributions made to the museum in various capacities by other members of the Roosevelt family. Gable details the design, construction, and contents of the museum’s Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall, including its murals and dioramas featuring scenes from Roosevelt’s life and work.

Photographs of the interior and exterior of the Memorial Hall as well as one of James Earle Fraser’s equestrian statue of Roosevelt outside of the museum accompany the article. A full page photograph of one of the dioramas, depicting a scene near Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch, is also found in the article.

A listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association as well as the members of its executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees is found on the second page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

John A. Gable reviews Nathan Miller’s The Roosevelt Chronicles, a history of the Roosevelt family in America. He acknowledges that Miller covers the lives of the well known Roosevelts: Theodore, Franklin, Eleanor, and Alice Longworth, but he believes that the real value of the book comes from its examination of lesser known members of the famous family. Gable looks at four of these figures: Nicholas Roosevelt, a pioneer in steamboats; James Roosevelt Bayley, an important figure in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church; Robert B. Roosevelt, Theodore’s uncle, who was a conservationist; and Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Theodore’s son, who would earn the Medal of Honor for his actions on D-Day, 1944.

Frederick W. Marks describes the research he undertook for his book Velvet on Iron, and surveys the historiography of Theodore Roosevelt beginning in the 1920s. He argues that there persists a divide between his record as a restrained diplomat and the perception “of him as bellicose and impulsive.

A photograph of Marks accompanies his article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Obituary of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the first born and last to die of Theodore Roosevelt’s children. The obituary details her celebrity status during her father’s presidency, her wedding to Congressman Nicholas Longworth, and his career in the House of Representatives. The notice also examines Alice Longworth’s decades long position as a Washington, D.C. power broker and socialite, and it notes her friendship with presidents, journalists, and celebrities. Her work in compiling an anthology of American poetry, her relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt, and her efforts to memorialize her father are also covered. The obituary notes her love of reading, acerbic wit, and sense of humor.

Four photographs accompany the article: the first shows Alice in 1904; the second shows the entire Roosevelt family, Theodore and Edith Roosevelt and all of their children and Alice’s husband, Nicholas Longworth, at the White House; the third shows Alice with her sister Ethel Derby and her brother Archibald Roosevelt at Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, D.C.; and the fourth is of Alice late in life.

A listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association and the members of its executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt birthplace committees is included in the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

List of animals donated to the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. by Presidents of the United States. Twelve presidents from Grover Cleveland to Richard Nixon are on the list. Between January 1902 and November 1909, Theodore Roosevelt made twenty-seven donations of thirty-eight individual animals and birds, including thirteen opossums, to the zoo.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1980

Creator(s)

Hamlet, Billie

John A. Gable begins the “Book Notes” column with a review of Sylvia Jukes Morris’s biography Edith Kermit Roosevelt: Portrait of a First Lady. In doing so, he provides a shorter, but still complete examination of Roosevelt’s life, and highlights the research Morris did utilizing letters, Roosevelt’s diary, and interviews.

Three pictures of Edith Roosevelt are included in the review: one considered the favorite of her husband, Theodore Roosevelt; a drawing by John Singer Sargent; and a third of Edith Roosevelt with Lou Henry Hoover, the wife of Herbert Hoover.

In Gable’s following review of Frederick W. Mark’s Velvet on Iron: The Diplomacy of Theodore Roosevelt, Gable places the work in the context of other studies of Roosevelt and argues that it represents a further step in an ongoing reappraisal of Roosevelt. He quotes extensively from Marks and from Edmund Morris’s review of the work.

A picture of Roosevelt at his desk at Sagamore Hill accompanies the review.

A listing of the officers and the members of the executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees of the Theodore Roosevelt Association is included among the reviews.

Edmund Morris examines President Theodore Roosevelt’s relationship with the press and argues that Roosevelt expertly controlled which reporters would have access to the president and what stories would make it to print. He says that Roosevelt had a “Newspaper Cabinet” of friendly reporters and that Roosevelt’s mastery of the press was matched only by that of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1980

Creator(s)

Morris, Edmund (Arthur Edmund), 1940-2019