Here is the first of twenty “Best of Calvin Coolidge” readings, drawn from his addresses, letters, and messages given over the course of more than two decades in public service. Taken together these twenty speeches form an excellent introduction to the power and originality of Coolidge’s political thought and brand of statesmanship.

Moving chronologically, we start with Senator Coolidge’s inaugural message as presiding officer of the Massachusetts state senate, delivered on January 7, 1914.

Featured next in our “Best of Coolidge” reading series is the telegram, wired September 14, 1919, of Governor Coolidge to Samuel Gompers, the head of the American Federation of Labor, who requested the reinstatement of the nineteen officers dismissed from Boston’s police department for leaving their posts in order to strike, September 1919. It was this crisp message to Gompers that brought his name into national renown, cultivating a spontaneous and widespread respect as a courageous and principled leader among grassroots Americans heading into the 1920 Election.

The readings are done by Daniel L. Wright, copyright 2014.

Stay tuned for more readings to come.