 Abraham Lincoln's Recognition of Haiti and Liberia's Independence (1861) |
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In his annual message to Congress, President Abraham Lincoln expressed his desire to recognize the independence and sovereignty of Black republics Haiti and Liberia. While Haiti had sought international recognition following the success of the revolution in 1804, many members of Congress refused to validate an independent Black nation that gained its independence through the revolution of its enslaved population. Liberia faced similar rejection after declaring independence in 1847. In the absence of members of Congress from the seceded Southern states, formal recognition the two countries was passed in 1862 and diplomatic representatives were appointed to each.
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| Cornerstone Speech (1861) |
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In this speech, Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens discussed what he deemed "one of the greatest revolutions in the annals of the world," the secession of seven states from the United States and formation of a new republic . The cornerstone of this new government, Stephens declared, "rests upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery—subordination to the superior race—is his natural and normal condition."
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| Grover Cleveland Speech Regarding Chinese Immigrant Workers (1886) |
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President Grover Cleveland's 1886 speech discusses the anti-Chinese violence at Rock Springs, Wyoming Territory. In it he argues that the United States is not responsible for this violence.
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| Monroe Doctrine (1823) |
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In an address before Congress, President James Monroe warned European powers not to interfere in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere. The United States continued to invoke the Monroe Doctrine in its foreign policy through to today.
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| President Johnson's Commencement Address at Howard University: "To Fulfill These Rights" (1965) |
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In this speech given to Howard University's 1965 graduating class, President Lyndon B. Johnson talks about the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts being passed as a result of the Civil Rights Movement and the long-lasting impacts of systemic racism.
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| Queen Anne's Speech in Parliament (1712) |
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In a speech by Queen Anne before Parliament, she described a contract granted to England by Spain for slave trading rights and emphasized peace with France, as England received the contract from Spain.
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| The Woman Suffrage Movement and Frederick Douglass (1908) |
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In this speech given on the 60th Anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention, Black women's rights advocate Mary Church Terrell reflects on the role of Frederick Douglass in the women's suffrage movement.
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