In presenting Bud Wilkinson the 1949 Football Coach of the Year award in January 1950, Hoover said: ‘Sports have become an integral part of our American civilization. And we may be grateful that so far the advance in social concepts has left them out of governmental regimentation. Sports are still a free enterprise, and because … Continue reading College Football, and Mythicism, 1890s, 1950, 2020
While working on another social media project I chanced upon an article Herbert Hoover wrote for This Week magazine in the midst of the grim years of World War II. Hoover had been devoting much time and energy to co-authoring a book Towards a Lasting Peace with Hugh Gibson. While his pen was hot, he … Continue reading Enchanted World
by Matthew Schaefer While Lou Henry Hoover did not campaign for suffrage, she did actively support the League of Women Voters once women gained suffrage. She spoke at Bryn Mawr College, one of the ‘Seven Sisters’ women’s colleges, in April 1920, shortly before suffrage passed. Lou was invited by the League of Women Voter's president, … Continue reading Lou Hoover Adding Bricks to the Foundation of League of Women Voters
In an April 1967 oral history with Ray Henle, Florida fishing guide, Calvin Albury, recalled his time fishing with Herbert Hoover. Albury first met Hoover in December 1948 at the Key Largo Anglers Club. Hoover needed a new guide for fishing off the Florida Keys. He said to Albury: ‘It looks like I’m going to … Continue reading Hoover Fishing Stories—As Told by Calvin Albury
Extroverted by nature, Lou Hoover likely enjoyed the Latin American trip more than her husband Herbert. As the tour entered it final port of call in South America, Rio de Janeiro, Lou made time to visit with the Federacao des Bandeirantes, a Brazilian Girl Scout troop. Given Hoover’s deep and long involvement with the Girl … Continue reading Lou Hoover and the Bandeirantes of Brazil
Earlier this month a researcher asked: ‘What did President Hoover do on the Fourth of July?’ This question had never been put to me, so my answer was: ‘I don’t know; I’ll get back to you.’ A quick review of Hoover’s calendar and his Public Papers was revealing. July 4th, 1929 fell on a Thursday, … Continue reading President Hoover and the Fourth of July
The current temporary exhibit at the Hoover Library, ‘Viva Hoover!’ showcases more than twenty gifts given to the Hoovers as they made their goodwill tour of Latin America in late 1928. Among the items exhibited are: photo albums, books, gold medals and medallions, silver trays and platters, ornately carved chests inlaid with tortoiseshell, ivory and … Continue reading Hoover’s Gifts from the South American Trip
A recent reference inquiry reminded me of one my earliest projects at the Hoover Library. A researcher wanted to know if any website still hosted the documentary history of the Hoover-Truman relationship. I’d been part of a team that scanned these documents for the web, but I hadn’t noticed that the links were dead. The … Continue reading Hoover and 20th Century Presidents: Harry Truman
The Hoovers tour down the west coast of South America took them to Valparaiso Chile on the battleship USS Maryland by December 11th. Then, rather than taking the eleven day trip around the southern edge of the continent to the east coast, they took the Transandine railroad from Chile to Buenos Aires. This reduced travel … Continue reading Trans-Andean Rail Trip
Picking up a thread dropped months ago, I resume my series on Hoover’s interactions with American Presidents. Beginning with Franklin Roosevelt, connections get deep. In fact, there have been book-length explorations of Hoover’s ties to FDR, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. Rather than recap them, I suggest that those who want to know the rest … Continue reading Hoover and 20th Century Presidents: Franklin Roosevelt
