LETTERS: McAllister Correspondence archive: with and regarding Mrs. Thomas (Dorothy) McAllister, Director of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee.
Roosevelt, Eleanor. Correspondence with and regarding Mrs. Thomas (Dorothy) McAllister, Director of the Women’s Division of the Democratic National Committee. 1936-1940. In a specially made cloth slipcase.
Typed letter signed, “Eleanor Roosevelt,” to Mrs. McAllister, February 24, 1936, on one leaf of White House letterhead.
Together with:
Typed letter signed, “Dorothy S. McAllister,” to Eleanor Roosevelt, February 28, 1938, two pages, one leaf of Democratic National Committee letterhead, one blank leaf.
Together with:
Typed letter signed, “Eleanor Roosevelt,” to Governor Murphy, March 23, 1938, one leaf of White House letterhead.
Together with:
Typed letter signed, “Edward Flynn”, to Dorothy McAllister, November 14, 1940, one leaf of Democratic National Committee letterhead. All housed in a specially made cloth slipcase.
In the first letter, Roosevelt responds to an invitation made by McAllister to “hold a reception of some kind” while she is in Michigan on a paid speaking tour. Roosevelt notes that while “the policy on all paid speaking trips is to make no other formal engagements,” but agrees to host a few women at her hotel in Grand Rapids. She concludes with an interesting sidelight into her celebrity: “I will let you know my hotel and time schedule as soon as I know it although I rather imagine it will be in the papers.”
In the second letter, McAllister presents Roosevelt a lengthy history of her political position within the Democratic Party, in defense against allegations apparently made both in the press and to Roosevelt directly that she fostered Republican leanings. Paragraph by paragraph, McAllister details her role in various campaigns, always showing herself to be either strongly Democratic (though she occasionally spoke out in favor of Democratic causes in a non-partisan capacity, in the hope of winning over Republican support). She points out that in 1932 she had the honor of being the first woman appointed to state office, as a Democrat on the bipartisan Liquor Control Commission. Throughout the letter, McAllister points out her dedication to Roosevelt’s presidency—indeed, even her support of his candidacy nine months before the Democratic Convention of 1932. She devotes several of her final sentences to her belief in his abilities:
…My only desire is to be of some help in the program of the President, and if any other were the leader of our party, no matter how enlightened and worthy, I do not believe I could be persuaded to be separated for such long periods of time from my husband. Your trust and confidence in me and that of Miss Dewson and the President would be the only reasons I would want to be in my present position.
She writes in closing: “If there are any questions that come to your mind, I would be happy to have you let me know: for I have only one ideal in my heart.”
In the third letter Roosevelt thanks Governor Murphy, apparently for confirmation of McAllister’s assertions. In the final letter, Edward J. Flynn, the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, thanks McAllister for her efforts in support of their common cause. Though the first two paragraphs read like a form letter, the third attests to McAllister’s role: “You did an unusually effective job with the Women’s Division. Your assistance in this respect and your splendid counsel to me will be long remembered. The Democratic Party owes you a real debt. Personally, I shall never forget your help.”
The woman’s vote helped secure FDR the 1932 Democratic nomination; helped elect him; helped re-elect him three times; and all these successes, to a very real degree, were attributable to Eleanor’s presence and her ability to enlist middle-class American women as political activists.
(#4810)
Print Inquire
