William A. Sinclair to Woodrow Wilson
Title
William A. Sinclair to Woodrow Wilson
Creator
Sinclair, William A. (William Albert)
Identifier
CS17
Date
1914 November 11
Description
Letter to Woodrow Wilson listing reasons why segregation of government employees should be abolished.
Source
Library of Congress
Wilson Papers, Series 4, 152A Reel 231, Manuscript Division
Wilson Papers, Series 4, 152A Reel 231, Manuscript Division
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
African-Americans--segregation
Contributor
Althea Cupo
Maria Matlock
Language
English
Provenance
Digital copy acquired from federal archives by previous WWPL Archivist, Heidi Hackford.
Text
The White House, Washington
Philadelphia, PA., Nov. 11, 1914.
The President,
Washington, D.C.
Honored Sir:
Unavoidly circumstances make it impractical for me to join the delegation as field secretary of the Constitution League of the United States who are to present a memorial to you on Thursday, November 12th instant, invoking your intervention against the segregation of government employees at Washington or elsewhere on the ground of race or color. I respectfully submit that such segregation violates the spirit and letter of the Constitution of the United States, forces hardships and degradations on colored employees, undermines civilization, is subversive of American Institutions, contravenes every principle of righteousness and justice and is a shameless reproach to our christian religion. Segregation represents not the ideals of freedom but the ideals of slavery. We pray that you, as the christian President of this free and christian nation, will use your great powers which are more than amply sufficient to remove this foul blot from our civilization.
W.M. A. Sinclair,
Field Secretary,
Constitution League
Philadelphia, PA., Nov. 11, 1914.
The President,
Washington, D.C.
Honored Sir:
Unavoidly circumstances make it impractical for me to join the delegation as field secretary of the Constitution League of the United States who are to present a memorial to you on Thursday, November 12th instant, invoking your intervention against the segregation of government employees at Washington or elsewhere on the ground of race or color. I respectfully submit that such segregation violates the spirit and letter of the Constitution of the United States, forces hardships and degradations on colored employees, undermines civilization, is subversive of American Institutions, contravenes every principle of righteousness and justice and is a shameless reproach to our christian religion. Segregation represents not the ideals of freedom but the ideals of slavery. We pray that you, as the christian President of this free and christian nation, will use your great powers which are more than amply sufficient to remove this foul blot from our civilization.
W.M. A. Sinclair,
Field Secretary,
Constitution League
Original Format
Letter
To
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Files
Collection
Citation
Sinclair, William A. (William Albert), “William A. Sinclair to Woodrow Wilson,” 1914 November 11, CS17, Race and Segregation Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.