Hi Everyone,
First of all, please excuse any cross-postings . . . I’m looking for all
the help I can get . . .
Here at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site (Buffalo,
NY), we are in the process of creating exciting new exhibitions based on
our updated interpretive themes. Our plan calls for the development of an
exhibit that will highlight some of the most pressing issues facing the
nation at the start of Roosevelt’s presidency, which began following the
assassination of William McKinley in 1901. In an effort to bring the past
to life and help our visitors understand how these issues impacted “the
guy/gal on the street,” we are seeking stories about specific
individuals—famous or not—for inclusion in the exhibit. We would very much
appreciate your help in this effort.
We are seeking documented personal stories from a wide geographic area that
speak to the themes listed below. We are not fussy about the format of the
stories (diaries, letters, oral histories, editorials, etc. are all fine),
but would like to be able to put a face with the story, so an image of the
person in question would be a bonus. I am hoping that, somewhere out there
(maybe in a collection you work with/are aware of), there are stories that
illustrate one or more of the following themes:
- Using vs. conserving natural resources
- Immigrants & immigration
- Concerns of the working class vs. those of the “bosses”
- Racial injustices
- Challenges of living in an urban environment
- Industry/business run amok (ie, no government regulation)
- Gender inequalities
- Role of the U.S. as an emerging world power (following the
Spanish-American War)
For instance, perhaps you know of . . . a turn-of-the-20th-century journal
written by someone who watched (and commented on) as all of the nearby
forests were lost to logging operations . . . or, a fabulous oral history
from a coal miner who was involved in the coal strike of 1902 . . . or,
even a letter written by a business owner complaining about how the
government keeps trying to tell him how to run his business. We are
especially interested in knowing and understanding the full arc of a
person’s life as it was affected by the issue. However, if you have a
great source, but do not know the full story, please feel free to share
that with us as well.
In conclusion, if you are aware of any primary source material that speaks
to the above issues, please contact me before September 30th. I can be
reached via e-mail at: [log in to unmask]; by telephone at (716)
884-0095; or by fax at (716) 884-0330. To begin, we would appreciate a
brief note about the individual and the primary source, not necessarily the
full source.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I look forward to
hearing any/all stories that might be out there.
Gratefully,
Lenora Henson
PS - If you know of someone else who might be able to help us in our
search, please feel free to forward this message to them.
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Lenora M. Henson
Curator - Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural NHS
641 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: (716) 884-0095 x14
Fax: (716) 884-0330
www.nps.gov/thri
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