Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center
Blanche Kelso Bruce
Misc. Mss.
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content
Inventory
This collection was acquired by the
Born into slavery in 1841, Blanche Kelso Bruce
became the first African American to serve a full term in the U.S. Senate, as
well as the first African American to preside over the Senate. One of 11
children, Bruce was born near
In the Senate, Bruce was a member of the
committees on Pensions, Manufactures, and Education and Labor. He chaired the
Committee on River Improvements and the Select Committee to Investigate the
Freedman's Savings and Trust Company. He supported desegregation of the army,
protection of African American voting rights, and more humane treatment of
Native Americans. Bruce encouraged increasing the disposition of western land
grants to African Americans. On February 14, 1879, Bruce became the first
African American to preside over the Senate.
Bruce worked devotedly to gain rights for African
Americans. After leaving the Senate, he was appointed registrar of the U.S.
Treasury by President James Garfield. At the Republican convention of 1888,
Bruce received 11 votes for vice president. He was appointed recorder of deeds
for the
This collection consists of a small amount of incoming
correspondence received by Bruce while serving in the United States Senate. The
letters date from 1875 to 1885, however, the bulk of the correspondence is from
the years 1876 and 1877. Most are
letters from Bruce’s Republican constituents, seeking appointments, money, and
pensions; providing recommendations and references; and accusing Democrats of political
corruption. A single letter is related to family matters – a January 1877
letter by J. J. Bruce of
The item-level inventory contains the name of each correspondent and the date of the letter. Also included in the inventory is a list of the dates of letters written by Senator Bruce to President Rutherford B. Hayes. Most of Bruce’s correspondence concerns references and recommendations for appointments. The letters are part of the Rutherford B. Hayes Papers. Typed transcriptions of these ten letters are available.
Inventory
Ac. 1963
47 items
BALDWIN, M. S.
Dtd Nov. 5, 1877.
BARRETT, John F., Jr.
Dtd Dec. 8, 1875.
BASSETT, J. R.
Dtd Feb. 21, 1876.
BELDEN, O. S.
Dtd Dec. 5, 1877.
BLISS, E.R.
Dtd Apr. 4, 1876.
Dtd Apr. 5, 1876.
BOWLES, C. M.
Dtd Sept. 18, 1877.
Dtd Oct. 28, 1877.
BRENT, Willis N.
Dtd Feb. 27, 1877.
BREWSTER & CO.
Dtd Mch. 15, 1877.
Dtd May 9, 1885.
BROWN, B. W.
Dtd Sept. 3, 1877.
BROWN, Emma V.
Dtd Thursday, A.M.
BRUCE, J. J.
Dtd Jan. 12, 1877.
BUCHANAN, George M.
Dtd Jne. 29, 1876.
Dtd Jly. 1, 1876.
Dtd Jly. 3, 1876.
Dtd Jan. 26, 1877.
Dtd Nov. 24, 1877.
BURCH, J. Henri
Dtd Oct. 23. 1877.
Dtd Nov. 14, 1877.
BURWELL, A.
Dtd Dec. 14, 1877.
BYNUM, J. M.
Dtd Nov. 21, 1877.
CRUMP, E. H.
Dtd Jan. 26, 1877.
DAVIS, A. K.
Dtd Nov. 29, 1875.
Dtd Apr. 22, 1876.
Dtd May 17, 1876.
Dtd Jne. 12, 1876.
DAVIS, O.
Dtd Aug. 23, 1876.
DEDRICK, W. W.
Dtd Mch. 26, 1876.
Dtd Apr. 2, 1876.
Dtd Jan. 21, 1877.
DEHAVEN, D.
Dtd Jne. 20, 1876.
DOUGLASS,
Undated
DOUGLASS, Frederick, Jr.
Dtd Apr 6, 1875.
GLEED, R.
Dtd Apr. 22, 1876.
Dtd May 17, 1876.
HANCOCK, Wm. M.
To Hon. James Hill dtd Oct. 5, 1879.
Dtd Oct. 8, 1879.
Dtd Nov. 23, 1879.
To Gov. Adelbert Ames dtd Dec. 31, 1879.
HURST, H. P.
Dtd Jan. 26, 1877.
KENNON, W. H.
Dtd Jan. 26, 1877.
LAWSON, Gaines
Dtd May 25, 1879.
LEE, J. W.
Dtd Jan. 26, 1877.
WARE, H. R.
Dtd Jan. 26, 1877.
and a memorial.
Letters by Senator B. K. Bruce to President Rutherford B. Hayes in the Rutherford B. Hayes Papers
Dtd Jne. 25, 1876.
Dtd Jan. 26, 1877.
Dtd Mch. 3, 1877.
Dtd Jne. 11, 1877.
Dtd Mch. 1, 1879.
Dtd Mar. 10, 1880.
Dtd Mar. 23, 1880.
Dtd Apr. 12, 1880.
Dtd Apr. 12, 1880.
Dtd Apr. 13, 1880.