Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Will Rogers Library exhibit portrays connection
of Will Rogers and Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Marks 60th anniversary of FDR’s death

Brandon Midgley, Northeastern State University graduate student from Adair, has prepared a Will Rogers-F rankling Delano Roosevelt exhibit at the Will Rogers Library in Claremore. Photos of Will with President Roosevelt and the First Lady are on exhibit with quotes from both the president and Will.

    Brandon Midgley of Adair said he knew “what everyone who grew up around here” knows about Will Rogers.
    That is, until he took on a project to learn about Will’s relationship with Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt.
    Brandon, a product of Northeastern State University, is working at the Claremore library. Librarian Carol Willett asked him to research Roosevelt for a History Channel promotion with libraries regarding the 60th anniversary of the President’s death in April 1945.
    Claremore’s public library is the W ill Rogers Library so for Brandon it was a natural to study the connection. “They knew each other. It is a good connection for the community.”
    A Roosevelt or Rogers quote is posted on almost every bookshelf at the library. Photographs of Will Rogers with FDR and with Eleanor are displayed in the library, compliments of the Will Rogers Museum. The exhibit will be on display through this month.
    Brandon said he gained a new insight into the life of Will Rogers while researching the relationship. He read “Wit and Wisdom” and a collection of Will Rogers’ “Daily Telegrams” from the FDR era, particularly those relating to the president.
    It was revealing he said to read the last volume of “Will Rogers Telegrams” just before he was killed.
    “It is very relevant. He was seeing things before they happened. He experienced how and what was happening involved Europe.
    “I didn’t realize he had gone through Russia, other places. Through him is probably the first way a lot of people connected with those types of places.”
    In 1934 after seeing “Judge Priest,” Brandon found the Roosevelt quote “I suppose the next thing he will be doing is making an application to the federal bench. I might take you up on that!”
    Will Rogers Library activities dealing with FDR will be documented and entered in the History Channel contest competing for grants and materials.
    Brandon will have a master of library-media information technology. He hopes to teach and be associated with a school library. Mrs. Willett was a Claremore school librarian before being named to the city post.