January 7, 1909 - Selecting a Speaker

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This article contains photos of historic documents that may include harmful or difficult to read language that includes biased, offensive, and possibly violent views and opinions.

Letter written by Washington on January 7, 1909.
Part One.
Written to Lincoln Farm Association member Richard Jones.

On January 7th, 1909, Booker T. Washington, president of the Tuskegee Institute, wrote a letter to Richard Lloyd Jones of the Lincoln Farm Association in which he recommended Isaiah T.

Montgomery to give a speech for the cornerstone dedication ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial building just outside of Hodgenville, Kentucky. The event would feature other dignitaries, the most well-known among them was President Theodore Roosevelt.

In the letter Washington articulates why Isaiah T. Montgomery would be the best selection to speak at the 1909 commemoration event. He describes him by saying “my impression is that from every point of view, Mr. Montgomery will be the ideal man.”

Washington’s political views were challenged by many other Civil Rights leaders as he called for change though education and entrepreneurship, rather than trying to directly challenge the Jim Crow era segregation and voter oppression. He was an incredibly skilled and well known politician, having had dinner with Theodore Roosevelt in the white house in 1901. Under this guidance, Isaiah T. Montgomery was invited by the Lincoln Farm Association to give a speech for the dedication ceremony and cornerstone laying of the memorial building.

Letter written by Washington on January 7, 1909.
Part Two.
Written to Lincoln Farm Association member Richard Jones.

Montgomery was born in 1847 in Mississippi, where he was then held enslaved by Jefferson Davis and his brother Joseph Davis, escaping with his family in 1862.

He was most well known for his political views, and the founding of Mound Bayou, Mississippi, an independent black community in 1877. He was elected to represent his community in the 1890 Mississippi Constitutional Convention as the only black representative. The Kul Klux Klan, and other terrorist groups were becoming a growing threat of violence to their new community. Eager to protect his town and the people within it from this violence, he agreed to vote in favor of legal disenfranchisement in his state, over 123,000 people would be affected. This decision was extremely controversial and many civil rights leaders, including Frederick Douglas, was outspoken about this, Douglas calling the act treason. However, Booker T. Washington was inspired by Montgomery’s political views, and these views influenced Washington’s as well.

“Montgomery had the confidence of the best people of both races in Mississippi.” Washington wrote to the Lincoln Farm Association recommending Montgomery as the ideal candidate to speak for the 1909 ceremony here at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace.

In Montgomery’s speech he shared “I served indirectly under President Lincoln when I was a cabin-boy on Admiral Porter’s fleet, and of course constituted one of those many whom the Great Emancipator set free.” Montgomery also spoke about being enslaved, and the growing wealth that he was able to accrue.

Isaiah T. Montgomery was what the Lincoln Farm Association was looking for – a speaker whose political views did not highlight the civil injustices that many Americans were still facing.

Courier Journal Article, Saturday paper.

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• Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park

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