Explore American history through the official blog of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum. Read expert articles on President Wilson's life and legacy, World War I, the Progressive Era, the League of Nations, and behind-the-scenes stories from our Staunton, Virginia museum. Discover fascinating insights into presidential history.
In the first year of his presidency, Woodrow Wilson approved the imposition of segregation on several federal agencies that had not been racially divided up to that point, even in places where segregation had been common, such as Washington, DC. William Monroe Trotter, of the National Independent Political League, responded with a speech against the move.
Read MoreNatalie Ambrose was kind enough to give the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum a great family collection of pictures, military equipment, and clothes from the World War I era just last week.
Read MoreAn article by W. Barksdale Maynard in a 2007 issue of the Johns Hopkins Magazine quotes President Wilson from the 1919 Peace Conference. “I have always disliked German people. I have despised their educational ideas.” This is a bit of a surprise, since he chose to be among one of the early classes of graduate seminars at Johns Hopkins while still a young man.
Read MoreWhile rehousing some items from the Rare Book Collection, we came across several books from the years between 1915-1919, intended for young readers in the United States. These books basically tell rousing stories about children going off to witness and even take part in the fights of the Great War. Despite what you might expect, the authors do not sugar coat modern battle.
Read MoreAfter returning from the Paris Peace Conference, Woodrow Wilson was determined to see the United States join the League of Nations, as he told the members of Congress. Still, many American politicians were unsure of whether entry into the League would be good for the United States. In order to fight for ratification, Wilson began a public speaking tour of the country in order to convince the American people to sway their senators in support of his plan.
Read MoreA 1915 letter from Colonel House in London, published in the Woodrow Wilson Papers, gives us a good idea of how that State Department encrypted their letters:
Read MoreOne hundred years ago, in June of 1919, President Wilson took a break from the peace conference in Paris to take a trip through Belgium by automobile. In a letter to his wife, after a long anecdote, Dr. Grayson mentions that he, himself, will be glad to go on the trip, suggesting the frustrations of their time facing off with diplomats in France. A memo to one of the drivers beforehand shows that this would include several cars from America and suggests the complexity of planning the tour.
Read MoreThe golf resort and spa in Hot Springs, Virginia, known as the Homestead, has been host to visitors since 1766, including many presidents. Thomas Jefferson made the trek to the Allegheny Mountains to visit the springs in 1819, attempting to ease his rheumatism.
Read MoreThe Mexican Revolution was well underway by the time that Woodrow Wilson became the American president. When the government of Porfirio Díaz failed after thirty-five years in power with a botched attempt to rig elections in 1910, a revolt and then new elections the following year brought Francisco I. Madero to power.
Read MoreOne thing we often find ourselves doing at the WWPL Library & Research Center is helping people even when we do not have what they are looking for. Suppose you read that Woodrow Wilson met Harry Houdini. You might want to find additional information about what actually happened at such an exciting event.
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