Mon Jul 09 2018

After the Woodrow Wilson years wrongly magnified the office of the presidency to near monarch-like status, Coolidge returned to a constitutional balance of power. His hands-off or approach to government meddling while cutting federal spending and taxes led to virtually full employment and the most prosperous decade perhaps in the history of mankind: The Roaring ’20s. A fierce advocate for civil rights, Coolidge granted citizenship to Native Americans and fought for the equality of black Americans. His was a presidency of firsts in many ways. He was the first to light the national Christmas tree in 1923, give a presidential radio address and broadcast an inaugural address nationwide. As the next election neared, the Republican party was thrilled to have a wildly popular incumbent president run again. However, the wildly popular president was still despondent over the death of his beloved son. As party bosses hounded him to run for a second term, Coolidge traveled to South Dakota. It...