Faculty in the News In the News

February 13, 2017 at 4:20 pm

AP Quotes Jellison on ‘Don’t Mess with Political Dads and Daughters’

An Associated Press story story headlined “A family thing: Don’t mess with political dads and daughters” quoted Dr. Katherine Jellison, Professor and Chair of History at Ohio University.

Before Twitter was available, President Harry Truman backed his daughter the old-fashioned way. Truman sent an angry letter to a Washington Post music critic who wrote a less than favorable review of one of Margaret Truman’s concerts.

After the concert, Paul Hume wrote that she “cannot sing very well.” Truman responded by sending a note to him on White House stationery, dated Dec. 6, 1950, calling it a “lousy review.” He added: “Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you’ll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below!”

Katherine Jellison, head of the history department at Ohio University, asked: “If Twitter had existed in those days, would Harry Truman have tweeted the critic instead of writing a letter?”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*