Franklin D. Roosevelt... Norman Rockwell... and "The Four Freedoms"

 By Mary Dodge Allen

President Roosevelt giving 1941 State of the Union Address to Congress 

(Franklin D. Roosevelt Library & Museum)

On January 6, 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his State of the Union Address to Congress. This speech is often referred to as “The Four Freedoms” speech.

WWII was raging in Europe, North Africa and Asia, waged primarily by the dictators of the three aggressive Axis countries: Germany, Italy and Japan. Italy had invaded North Africa, and Japan had invaded China, while setting its sights on other areas of the Pacific. German forces occupied and controlled much of continental Europe and Norway, and Britain was involved in a desperate air and sea war with Germany. 

At this time, the United States was technically a neutral country. In this speech, President Roosevelt described the perilous situation in the world, and he eloquently spoke about the role and responsibility of the United States in supporting democracy and freedom.

Excerpts from this State of the Union Address:

"During sixteen long months this assault has blotted out the whole pattern of democratic life in an appalling number of independent nations, great and small. And the assailants are still on the march, threatening other nations, great and small.
........

Let us say to the democracies: “We Americans are vitally concerned in your defense of freedom. We are putting forth our energies, our resources and our organizing powers to give you the strength to regain and maintain a free world. We shall send you, in ever-increasing numbers, ships, planes, tanks, guns. This is our purpose and our pledge.”

(Three months later, on March 11, 1941, the Lend-Lease Act was passed by Congress, authorizing the U.S. to deliver needed weaponry to the countries under attack by the Axis powers.)

Later in his State of the Union Address, President Roosevelt set forth the "Four Freedoms" - the basic freedoms we hold dear - the principles of democracy worth fighting for:

"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression – everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way – everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want – which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants-everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear – which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor – anywhere in the world."
...........

This State of the Union Address was broadcast on radio, and it touched a chord throughout the nation. Then, eleven months later, on December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, propelling the U.S. directly into the war.

U.S.S. Arizona battleship bombed at Pearl Harbor (Public Domain)

Artist Norman Rockwell wanted to contribute to the war effort, but at the age of 48, he was too old to serve in the military. So he used his artistic talent. In the Spring of 1942, he created a painting, commissioned by the U.S. Army Ordnance Department, to be displayed as a poster encouraging production at ordnance factories. Rockwell’s painting portrayed a machine gunner in need of ammunition, with the caption: “Let’s Give Him Enough and On Time.” 

Poster Rockwell made for the U.S. Army Ordnance Department (Public Domain)

Rockwell was always searching for subject ideas for his paintings, and he remembered the electrifying State of the Union Address the President had given the previous year. He decided to illustrate the Four Freedoms. 

At first, he wasn’t sure how to go about it. Then inspiration struck during a meeting he attended in his small town, Arlington, Vermont. A neighbor stood up and spoke out, voicing his opposition to a proposal. Even though this man was alone in dissenting, the others listened respectfully to what he had to say. This gave Rockwell the idea for “Freedom of Speech.” He decided to illustrate all of these freedoms using his neighbors as models – regular citizens, involved in everyday situations. 

After much thought, he created four rough sketches. Then he traveled to Washington D.C. to show these sketches to his contacts at the Army’s Ordnance Department. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the resources for another commission, so they turned him down. 

Norman Rockwell's Triple Self-Portrait (Norman Rockwell Museum)

Rockwell had been creating magazine covers for the popular national magazine The Saturday Evening Post for over twenty years. On his way home to Vermont, Rockwell stopped in Philadelphia and made an appointment to show his sketches to the Post’s editor, Ben Hibbs. The editor liked Rockwell’s sketches of the four freedoms and decided to use them as future magazine covers, accompanied by essays in each magazine on that particular freedom topic.

Ben Hibbs gave Rockwell three months to complete the paintings. But as he began working, Rockwell got cold feet, wondering if this project might be too much for him. It took him seven months to complete all four paintings, and he lost nearly fifteen pounds in the process. Years later, Rockwell stated in a New Yorker Magazine interview, “It was a job that should have been tackled by Michelangelo.”

Interesting note: Shortly after Rockwell delivered his completed “Four Freedoms” paintings to The Saturday Evening Post, a fire broke out in his Vermont studio. The original sketches and artwork related to this project were destroyed in the fire. 

"Freedom of Speech" published February 20, 1943

"Freedom of Worship" published February 27, 1943

"Freedom from Want" published March 6, 1943

"Freedom from Fear" published March 13, 1943

The “Four Freedoms” paintings were a great success. The Saturday Evening Post received 25,000 requests for reprints. The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced a joint campaign with Curtis Publishing (publishers of the Post) to sell war bonds and stamps - giving out prints of the four paintings to every buyer. In April 1943 they began a sixteen-city nationwide tour called the “Four Freedoms War Bond Show.” 

Rockwell received thousands of letters and postcards from citizens, offering thanks for the creation of these paintings.

Perhaps the most memorable was the letter Rockwell received from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who wrote:

“I think you have done a superb job in bringing home to the plain, everyday citizen the plain, everyday truths behind the Four Freedoms... I congratulate you not alone on the execution but also for the spirit which impelled you to make this contribution to the common cause of a freer, happier world."

__________

For the complete transcript of President Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union Address, click on this link:  https://voicesofdemocracy.umd.edu/fdr-the-four-freedoms-speech-text/

 

Mary Dodge Allen is the winner of a 2022 Christian Indie Award, a 2022 Angel Book Award, and two Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writer's Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida, where she has served as a volunteer with the local police department. Her childhood in Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes, sparked her lifelong love of the outdoors. She has worked as a Teacher, Counselor and Social Worker. Her quirky sense of humor is energized by a passion for coffee and chocolate. She is a member of the Florida Writer's Association, American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith Hope and Love Christian Writers. 

Website: www.marydodgeallen.com

Mary's novel: Hunt for a Hometown Killer won the 2022 Christian Indie Award, First Place - Mystery/Suspense; and the 2022 Angel Book Award - Mystery/Suspense.

Click the link below to buy Hunt for a Hometown Killer at Amazon.com:

Hunt For A Hometown Killer: A Novel: Allen, Mary Dodge: 9781952369704: Amazon.com: Books

Link to Mary's Spotlight Interview:   Mary Dodge Allen Author Spotlight EA Books

Art Deco Architecture in Kentucky + Giveaway

   By Tiffany Amber Stockton

In March, we learned about the name origins for the first 10 of the 50 states in the U.S. I'll be doing other posts to cover the remaining 40 during other months of this year. You can read last month's post if you missed it.

Today is my son's 12th birthday, and we recently attended a homeschool field trip at the Kentucky Historical Society. So, I figured it'd be fun to delve into the history of the Historical Society. Let's chat a bit about KHS building. :)

KENTUCKY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Historical Society Building

This place is a gem located in downtown Frankfort, Kentucky. It's been around for quite some time and has some great history behind it.

The KHS building was built in the late 1930s and early 1940s as part of a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. If you don't know what that is, the WPA was a New Deal program created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide employment for millions of Americans during the Great Depression. And boy did it do just that!

Old State Capitol - original site

The Kentucky Historical Society itself has been around since 1838, but its headquarters used to be located in the Old State Capitol building in Frankfort. However, as the KHS grew in size and popularity, they began planning for a new building. They eventually applied for a grant from the WPA, and voila, the KHS building was born.

The architect who designed the KHS building was a guy named Thomas P. Barnett. He was known for his Art Deco designs and did not disappoint with this building. The KHS building is considered one of the most significant examples of Art Deco architecture in Kentucky, and wow, does it show! It has all the classic Art Deco elements, like streamlined forms, geometric patterns, and stylized motifs. Quite a sight to see!

But Barnett didn't stop there. He also incorporated elements of the Kentucky Colonial Revival style into the building's design. This was a popular style in the early 20th century which emphasized the use of local materials and traditional craftsmanship. So, not only is the building beautiful, it also has some local flavor in there too.

Interior view of one exhibit area

The KHS building was constructed in several phases, with the first phase being completed in 1939. This included the main entrance and lobby. The second phase, which included the research and storage areas, was completed in 1941. And the final phase, which included the museum space, was completed in 1942. So it took a few years, but it was definitely worth the wait.

Over the years, the KHS building has undergone several renovations and upgrades to keep it up to date and functional. In the 1980s, the museum space was expanded to include more exhibit space.

Nowadays, the KHS building is still standing strong and is open to the public for tours and events. You can check out the KHS museum, which features exhibits on Kentucky's history, as well as a research library and archives. It's definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the area.

View of the terrazzo floor in the lobby

The KHS building has become a bit of a landmark in downtown Frankfort, and its unique design draws visitors from across the state. The building's interior is just as beautiful as its exterior, with many Art Deco details like a terrazzo floor in the lobby (in the shape of the state of Kentucky), bronze fixtures, and a beautiful mural depicting Kentucky's history. It continues to be an important cultural institution in Kentucky.

But let's talk about the real reason why the KHS building is so cool. It has history. I mean, it's a historical society building, so of course it does. It has seen a lot of changes over the years. It's seen wars, political upheaval, and social change. And yet, it's still standing. It's a testament to the resilience of the people of Kentucky.

There's something special about being in a building that's been around for over 80 years. It's like you can feel the energy of all the people who have walked through those halls over the years. Visiting the old state capitol building produces the same vibes. If only these walls could talk!

President Lincoln's pocket watch -- still ticking!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* Do you have a building in your town with intricate architecture?

* Have you ever visited Frankfort, Kentucky? For what purpose?

* Is there a building or landmark near you with significant historical influence or notoriety?

** Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Leave answers to these questions or any comments you might have on this post in the comment box below. For those of you who have stuck around this far, I'm sending a FREE autographed book to one person every month from the comments left on each of my blog posts. You never know when your comment will be a winner! Subscribe to comments so you'll know if you've won and need to get me your mailing information.

Come back on the 9th of  May for my next foray into historical tidbits to share.

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning, best-selling author and speaker who is also a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help improve their lives in a variety of ways.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children and four cats in southeastern Kentucky. In the 20 years she's been a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Civilian Conservation Corps: Roosevelt's New Deal

Several months ago, My Cowboy and I were riding around on the backroads of Mississippi one Sunday afternoon. We meandered down one road and crossed the “canal”, then later we crossed it again on a different road.

Something niggled at my brain and I asked if he thought the canal was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). A research trip (online) was in order! While I have yet to discover if the canal was built by the CCC, I did find tons of amazing things that were constructed in my neck of the woods.

But first, a bit about the CCC.

The CCC was a voluntary public work relief program to create jobs, education and skills for young unmarried men in the 1930s during the Great Depression. It was the brainchild of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal that provided manual labor where needed in rural lands owned by federal, state, and local governments.

In operation for nine years, the CCC saw 3 million young men pass through its ranks. The outbreak of World War II brought a halt to the program as young men were drafted into the armed forces.

Here are just a few of the projects completed in and around where I live…

Union High School, Union, MS: The National Youth Administration constructed the 1938 1-story vocational building at the Union High School. Superintendent of construction was Simon Brown. The building remains in use by the school system.

Leake County Courthouse, Carthage, MS

Photo: Susan C. Allen © Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 10/03/2015 

Leake County Courthouse, Carthage, MS. The three-story, brick and cast stone Art Deco courthouse was constructed 1935-36 as Public Works Administration (PWA) Project Miss. 1042. It was remodeled in 1976.

Neshoba County Library, Philadelphia, MS

Photo: Susan Allen © Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2013 

Neshoba County Library, Philadelphia, MS. The rustic log cabin was the first library built in Philadelphia, Mississippi, although the library had been established several years earlier in space in two other buildings. It was a community effort spearheaded by the Twentieth Century Club. The WPA also provided the first paid librarians.

The building, relocated to a park when a new and modern library was constructed, was almost totally destroyed by a tornado in 2011. Only the flooring, chimney, and fireplace remained. It was reconstructed in 2013 in a joint effort of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and City of Philadelphia.

Shockaloe Trail, Bienville National Forest

, Source © 2016 Trail And Ultra Running

Bienville National Forest Improvements, Forest MS. The CCC workers built roads, cleared trails and took on the task of reforestation, but they also reeducated locals with the idea that “public land was to be appreciated and was not simply a place to log, trespass and burn.”

This is just a sample of the many projects the CCC completed in the nine years it was in existence, not to mention the lives it changed in the young men who got to be a part of it. It was a fascinating period of history and I can’t help but think that many young men and women would benefit from being involved in a similar program in this day and age.

Do you know of a CCC project where you live? If not, check out this resource on the Living New Deal CCC Projects in your stomping grounds. You might be surprised!

Boulder Dam, Hoover Dam & a Giveaway

Photo by Kuczora, Wikimedia Commons

With Nancy J. Farrier

Hoover Dam Site by Lee, W.T.

By the late 1800’s, the Southwest United States saw a great influx of people. The jump in population resulted in a need for more water resources for irrigation and raising crops. At the same time, the Colorado River, an excellent source of water, proved dangerous and unreliable. If homes and farms were too close to the river, they would be lost during flooding. If they were too far, there wasn’t a good way to transport the water for crops.

1921 Sketch of Site

Early attempts to harness the river proved faulty. William Beatty built a canal on the Colorado just north of the Mexico border. However, a flood breached the canal and caused widespread damage. In the early 1900’s, the Southern Pacific Railroad paid to stabilize the river, hoping the government would reimburse them, but that proved ineffective too.

As early as 1902, talk began of building a hydroelectric dam on the Colorado. Edison Electric Company did a survey, but in the early part of the century the range was too limited for that type of power. Edison’s land options were allowed to lapse, which allowed for the later building of Boulder Dam.

1935 View from AZ side. Wikimedia Commons

One of the problems with building a dam on the Colorado River had to do with the number of States involved. There were seven States in all who would be affected: California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. Their initial meeting with Secretary of Commerce, Herbert Hoover, ended with no resolution. However, on November 1922, the seven States signed the Colorado River Compact allowing the project to move forward.

In 1928, President Coolidge signed a bill authorizing the dam. There were still many obstacles ahead. One of those was the cost of building the structure. The companies with experience didn’t have the funds to finance the construction. In the end, six companies went together to win a bid from the government.

High scalers setting explosives

Before construction could begin on the dam, the Colorado River had to be diverted to allow workers access to the area. There were four tunnels dug through the canyon walls, two on the Arizona side and two on the Nevada side. The combined length of the tunnels was nearly three miles. Two of the tunnels were sealed after the dam was completed and the other two became part of the spillway for the dam.

Pouring the concrete for the dam began in 1933. They could not do this as a continuous pour because the concrete would take

Columns being filled with concrete

too long to cool. The concrete would not be as stable and would be liable to crack and crumble under pressure. Instead, they devised a way to do the dam in large sections, but also used refrigerated water piped in to cool the concrete and keep it from cracking.

On September 30, 1935, they had a dedication for Boulder Dam. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in attendance since he was on a tour of the western states. There was still much controversy about the name of the dam since some wanted to name it after Herbert Hoover. Former President Hoover was not invited to the ceremony though and no mention was made of him. The US Post Office made a three-cent Boulder Dam stamp to commemorate the occasion.

There were 112 deaths attributed to the building of the dam. Three were suicides, but many were accidents on the job site. The first, J. G. Tierney,

Workers on Jumbo Rig

drowned while checking for a site for the dam. The last death was Tierney’s some Patrick, who fell from an intake tower. Some people felt there were more than the 112 deaths. Men died of supposed pneumonia, but may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning from the use of gasoline powered vehicles in the diversion tunnels.

There was much controversy over the name of the dam. Early on, the name Boulder Dam or Boulder Canyon Dam was used even though the location changed to Black Canyon. President Hoover’s name was mentioned because in the early years he was the President, and he had been instrumental in working to get the dam started. However, when he lost the election in 1932, there were those who didn’t want his name on the dam. In 1947 Congress voted to restore the name to Hoover Dam instead of Boulder Dam.

1940 Tour Group

I remember visiting Hoover Dam when I was a young girl. We took the tour of the dam and I was fascinated by the size and by the stories that were told. One of those stories had to do with a worker who fell to his death when they were pouring concrete and was never recovered. The idea horrified me. In my research for this blog, I read on the history.com website that there were no workers lost in the concrete like that. I have to wonder which is true. If you have the chance go to this page and read some interesting facts about the dam.

Have you ever visited Hoover Dam? I remember driving across the dam, although now there is a bridge you drive over because of the increase in traffic. Have you ever been to Lake Mead?  Please leave a comment and your email before midnight July 18, 2017 to be entered in a drawing for my new release, Bandolero.

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children and two grandsons. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

Yoana Armenta’s reckless behavior results in her being captured by bandoleros. Yoana fears her impulsive nature will cause irreparable disaster. Amado Castro gave a death bed promise that he intends to keep – at all costs - even if he must break a childhood vow. When his choice endangers Yoana’s life, he struggles with the decision to honor his word, or to protect Yoana, whom he has come to care for more than he could have imagined. Now as the bandoleros threaten to sell Yoana to a fate worse than death, and the rancheros want to hang Amado, they must make choices. Will they trust God, or will they do what seems right to them?