Letter from Lula Mury to President Coolidge
10/17/1923
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Election laws and procedures implemented by Southern states often kept black men from voting despite the 14th and 15th Amendments. Following the 19th Amendment’s ratification, that granted women the right to vote, these laws were equally effective at barring black women, like Lula Mury, of Birmingham, AL, from the polls. In 1923, Mury wrote to President Calvin Coolidge for help, stating that she remained unable to register to vote despite having the constitutional right to do so.
Transcript
1705 ave F. So.Birmingham
Ala
oct. 17-1923
[purple stamp] THE WHITE HOUSE OCT 19 1923 RECEIVED
Hon. Calvin Collidge
President of U.S.A.
White House
Washington D.C.
[In pencil in different handwriting] Justice
[purple stamp] RESPECTFULLY REFERRED FOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND CONSIDERATION. C. B. Slemp. Secy. to the President
Dear President,
As you are my Chief Executative of our great Common welth of Government of the Republice. I note you this letter to introduce to you Some of my many Greiveances. I hade two Brothers to serve this our Government in the time of it Greatest necessictay needs an one of them lost his life in the defence cause in time known as the world war to elevate to safe democarcy. An here I stand denied the constitution rights in Article XIV an XV. I was turn down at the Board of Registors of Jefferson County I beign a woman the 19 Amendment of the Constitution of U.S. So now I desire your assistince in gitting me Justice along the lines So I am Looking to you for Reply fowillows by an early adjustment telling me just what steeps to tak.
Yours Most Respectfully
Lula Mury [red ink] 180337-1-2-7
[green stamp] OCT 29 1923
[upside-down blue stamp] RECORDED
[faded blue stamp] OCT 20, 1923 A.M. (ilegible) DIVISION ORIM-RIDGELY]
[in pencil initials/signature]
This primary source comes from the General Records of the Department of Justice.
National Archives Identifier: 119652182
Full Citation: Letter from Lula Mury to President Coolidge; 10/17/1923; 72-1-1; Class 72 (Elections and Political Activity) Litigation Case Files and Enclosures, 1919 - 1980; General Records of the Department of Justice, Record Group 60; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/mury-coolidge, January 24, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
