speeches and letter

This collection contains four speeches written by Talladega educator Joseph B. Graham. The earliest speech is dated 1884, while later speeches are undated. Most of Graham's speeches address the role of education and the commemoration of the Civil War. The collection contains two copies of a particularly interesting speech on the education of women; while Graham argues that both men and women should receive an equal level of physical, intellectual, and moral training, he argues that women should avoid political activism and denounces the "petticoat government" of states such as Kansas, which had granted women suffrage.

This collection also contains one letter dated July 29, 190,2 and signed by Edmund Pettus, who asked for information about possible opponents in an upcoming Senate campaign.