Primary sourceLetter17 April 1897
Theodore Roosevelt's Resignation Letter
Theodore Roosevelt · 17 April 1897
Roosevelt's 1897 letter resigning as a New York Police Commissioner, written before he became Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
Roosevelt wrote this letter resigning from city government, a step toward his later national and military career.
About this source
What it is
This letter, dated 17 April 1897, was written by Theodore Roosevelt to the Mayor of New York, resigning his position with the Board of Police Commissioners.
Why it matters
The letter marks a turning point in Roosevelt's career as he moved from city government toward national politics and eventually to his role in the Spanish-American War. It shows the formal, respectful style of official correspondence of the time and Roosevelt's own account of his service.
Look closer
- What does Roosevelt say about his working relationship with the Mayor?
- Why might he have wanted to publicly thank his supervisor in this letter?
- What does this document tell us about the steps in Roosevelt's early career?
This letter is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Theodore Roosevelt on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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