Jesse P. Gram to Woodrow Wilson

Title

Jesse P. Gram to Woodrow Wilson

Creator

Gram, Jesse P.

Identifier

CS61

Date

1914 November 17

Description

Republican member of the public praises President Wilson's stance on segregation.

Source

Library of Congress
Wilson Papers, Series 4, 152A Reel 231, Manuscript Division

Publisher

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum

Subject

Trotter, William Monroe, 1872-1934
African-Americans--segregation

Contributor

Althea Cupo
Maria Matlock

Language

English

Provenance

Digital copy acquired from federal archives by previous WWPL Archivist, Heidi Hackford.

Text

Honorable Woodrow Wilson,
President of the United States,
Washington.

Dear Sir:-

Permit a Republican to commend the position you have taken on the subject of negro segregation in public offices. If this issue is clearly and definitely raised in future campaigns you will not suffer any loss of votes by reason of your attitude. Segregation is eminently desirable where the negroes constitute any considerable proportion of the population. Dr. Charles W. Eliot, when President of Harvard University, admitted that if half of the students at Harvard were negroes, it might be necessary to have separate classes for them (Stephenson, “Race Distinctions in American Law, “ page 164).

If the people could have a referendum vote on segregation, residential and other, there is no doubt that there would be an overwhelming majority for it. As the United States Supreme Court has held that laws requiring segregation on railroad trains are constitutional, the question would seem to be one of policy and therefore one on which the wishes of the majority should prevail.

Very respectfully yours,
JP Gram

Original Format

Letter

To

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CS61.pdf

Citation

Gram, Jesse P., “Jesse P. Gram to Woodrow Wilson,” 1914 November 17, CS61, Race and Segregation Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.