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Manuscript/Mixed Material Robert Russa Moton Speech, Speech Draft and Correspondence: Address . . .at the Dedication of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., May 30, 1922. From the Robert Russa Moton Papers in the Moton Family Papers.

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Title

  • Robert Russa Moton Speech, Speech Draft and Correspondence: Address . . .at the Dedication of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., May 30, 1922. From the Robert Russa Moton Papers in the Moton Family Papers.

Names

  • Moton, Robert Russa

Created / Published

  • 1922

Headings

  • -  Afro-Americans
  • -  Afro-American businesspeople
  • -  Tuskegee Institute
  • -  Manuscripts

Genre

  • Manuscripts

Notes

  • -  Two typed carbon copies (an original and a revised draft) of the address Dr. Robert Russa Moton gave at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial on May 30, 1922. The Tuskegee Institute principal was the day's main speaker. With the death of Booker T. Washington in 1915, Robert Moton was evidently regarded as his successor in carrying the banner for African American economic and social justice and freedom. Although little of the Lincoln Memorial speech focuses on economic matters, some parts of the text refer very specifically to black businessmen, a subject Moton was uniquely equipped to address as the president of the National Negro Business League. Moton informed the audience that "It is no mere accident that Negroes in America after less than sixty years of freedom . . . should operate 78 banks, 100 insurance companies, and 50,000 business enterprises representing a combined capital value of more than $150,000,000. Neither is it an accident that there are within the race 60,000 professional men, 44,000 school teachers and 400 newspapers and magazines . . . ." The Tuskegee Institute letterhead of the cover letter Dr. Moton sent to Chief Justice William Taft, who corresponded with Moton regarding drafts of the speech, lists Julius Rosenwald, the founder of the Sears department-store chain and mail-order house, as a member of Tuskegee's Board of Trustees. Warren G. Harding was president and Coolidge was vice president at the time of the dedication ceremonies. Selections reproduced as facsimile page images: 17 pages.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Container 11. Robert Russa Moton Papers: Subject File
  • Folder: Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. Dedication Speech, 1922

Source Collection

  • Robert Russa Moton papers.

Repository

  • Manuscript Division

Digital Id

Online Format

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  • online text

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Chicago citation style:

Moton, Robert Russa. Robert Russa Moton Speech, Speech Draft and Correspondence: Address . .at the Dedication of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., . From the Robert Russa Moton Papers in the Moton Family Papers. 1922. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mss78499_01/.

APA citation style:

Moton, R. R. (1922) Robert Russa Moton Speech, Speech Draft and Correspondence: Address . .at the Dedication of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., . From the Robert Russa Moton Papers in the Moton Family Papers. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/mss78499_01/.

MLA citation style:

Moton, Robert Russa. Robert Russa Moton Speech, Speech Draft and Correspondence: Address . .at the Dedication of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., . From the Robert Russa Moton Papers in the Moton Family Papers. 1922. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/mss78499_01/>.