Integrating The Armed Services, 1940, Oval Office Meeting (Part of New Special Exhibit)

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Read to understand the background
President Roosevelt secretly recorded several meetings for about 1 year, June 1940-June 1941.

The first President to secretly record meetings.

The recordings were manually turned off and on and FDR forgot to turn off the recorder, so we have this recording discussing integrating the Armed Forces. The tape was not discovered until the 1980s.

The meeting was held in the Oval Office, September 27, 1940. Attending were
FDR, Walter White (NAACP), A. Phillips Randolph (Union and civil rights activist), Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy.

The tape is hard to hear, but the Library produced the script to read.

For White and Randolph to present their case to the President at a meeting in the Oval Office at least began a dialog on the issue.

The Armed Services remained segregated until 1948.

I found the tape both illuminating and disconcerting to hear FDR so unfiltered.
Talking about musicians for ship band
More on a “Negro band” “an opportunity”
FDR’s “colored messenger in the Navy Department”
“a northern ship and a southern ship” laughter

Perhaps a swipe at Southern Democrats?

Best of The Library/Museum

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For me, this area is the most significant, poignant display in the Museum

Pres. Truman offered FDR’s Desk and Chair to Eleanor. Now in the FDR Presidential Library and Museum.

FDR’s Desk Used in the White House
The arms of FDR’s Chair. To me, THE most significant item on display.
Desk and Official Portrait
1936 Ford Phaeton
Hand controls
Professor Leuchtenburg

My Daily Morning Walk. FDR Historic Site

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From parking lot and behind Library

Pass by the garden. The garden is a historic restoration of the original home garden. Visitors may view the many different varieties the Roosevelt family grew and put on their table. Today the garden continues in the spirit of the Roosevelts by addressing food insecurity in our local community through our park partnership with Dutchess Outreach.
Freedom Court. FDR and Churchill busts and segments from Berlin Wall
Sara’s Rose Garden with Gravestone on left
Graves of FDR, Eleanor, Fala and Chief (German Shepherd)
Springwood
The Tram
Gerry, Buddy, Tram driver and artist of D-Train (my handle)
My “handle”
View from Home over Hudson Valley but the benches are GONE! Thursday.
I am so distraught
On Friday, The Bench is back!
A different view
South side of Springwood
Norway Spruce sign
Norway Spruce.. love this tree
Down driveway to Albany Post Road
Gates at Albany Post Road
Oops
Back up driveway. Library is on right
The Tree Farmer’s Canopy
FDR Presidential Library. The First Presidential Library and only one used by a President still in Office
The Stable
The New Deal
“Gloster”. James Roosevelt’s champion trotter, ca. 1874. Once upon a time, the horse’s tail was in frame
Coach house with initials JR. James Roosevelt
Coach House, 1886, JR
Apple trees
Favorite site for photo

My guess is the total walk is about 5000 steps

Roosevelt Reading Festival

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19th Annual Reading Festival
The Books

I attended the following 2 presentations

Harvey J. Kaye

FDR on Democracy: The Greatest Speeches and Writings of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Steven Lomazow, M.D.

FDR Unmasked: 73 Years of Medical Cover-ups That Rewrote History 

I was the Moderator for the 3 following presentations.

Sara Rutkowski

Rewriting America: New Essays on the Federal Writers’ Project

Alexander Heffner

A Documentary History of the United States (11th ed)

Mary Llewellyn McNeil

Century’s Witness: The Extraordinary Life of Journalist Wallace Carroll

Bill Harris, Director of FDR Presidential Library introduces the Keynote Speaker, Jill Watts.
Jill Watts. Keynote Speaker

The Black Cabinet: The Untold Story of African Americans and Politics During the Age of Roosevelt

A full day of very well-researched, interesting presentations.

Wined and dined with these scholars at Coppola’s. Perfect ending to the day.