by Spencer Howard In 1928, Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover took action for the civil rights of African Americans that was both momentous and ultimately trivial – he desegregated the Commerce Department. As his assistant, George Akerson pointed out, the official policy of the Coolidge Administration was that segregation was prohibited in Federal employment. In … Continue reading Desegregating the Commerce Department
Like many men [thousands? millions?], I approach Valentine’s Day with a measure of trepidation. The weight of choosing the appropriate card grows heavier each year. Perhaps I’m losing strength to carry on the tradition. Despite the thousands [millions?] of commercially available options, I struggle to find the card with the words that have the right … Continue reading Valentine’s Day Cards
History serves as a reminder that all political times are tempestuous. Ardent advocates champion their side of the cause no matter the year or the context. The President’s recent State of the Union message ballyhooed the accomplishments of the first year of his administration—emphasizing successes and downplaying disappointments. This is par for the course, drawn … Continue reading Assessing Presidents at One Year
Herbert Hoover's lifelong passion for fishing is well-known. For no other President has a biographer written a 350-page book subtitled, The Fishing President, as Hal Elliott Wert has done for Hoover. In this book, Wert describes Hoover's fishing exploits and expeditions from age 8 to age 88. Young Bert Hoover pulled a ‘record’ twelve inch … Continue reading Herbert Hoover and Fishing
By Thomas F. Schwartz In an address delivered to a joint Republican organizations in Spokane, Washington, November 5, 1938, former president Herbert Hoover rebutted President Franklin Roosevelt’s claim of “his success in creating economic stability, prosperity and security for the average man.” Hoover pointed out that President Roosevelt failed to mention, “the 11,000,000 unemployed or … Continue reading Hoover’s November 5, 1938 Address Inspires A Political Cartoon
By Thomas F. Schwartz Presidents receive endless unsolicited advice on what to do and how to do it. Modern Presidents, even with the most vigilant staff, cannot prevent unsolicited advice from reaching their boss, especially in open public settings. Hoover tended to be impatient with advice given by adults, especially from the general public. But … Continue reading Hoover and His Young Advisors
By Thomas F. Schwartz Many families in the United States are fortunate enough to celebrate the holidays with a plethora of food. At a time of gift-giving and worrying about expanding waistlines, we often forget about the needy and hungry that are right next door. As hard as it is for adults to remember the … Continue reading From Plenty to Thrift
by Matthew Schaefer In addition to the White House tradition of spending Thanksgiving as a quiet day with the family, Herbert Hoover tended to the ceremonial aspect of his official duty by issuing a Thanksgiving Proclamation. This tradition dates back to George Washington, and most Presidents hew to a predictable script—invoking forefathers, thanking God, and … Continue reading Thanksgiving Proclamations and President Hoover
by Matthew Schaefer Somehow, I’ve written more than once about Herbert Hoover and football without consulting the two folders on ‘Football, 1929-1932’ in Hoover’s Presidential Subject Files. This is written in order to rectify that oversight. These files contain a letter dated December 5, 1931 from Mrs. Helen MacLean to President Hoover. Mrs. MacLean explained … Continue reading President Hoover and Football
This piece was written by George Schaefer, for use at a corporate retreat with the theme ‘Building a Legacy of Success.’ He used this story to convey what it takes to create and sustain a legacy. It is used here with his permission. This is a story about a man named Bert. It is a … Continue reading What Will Be Your Legacy?
