The ongoing research and publication of the Papers of James Monroe often brings its editors in contact with various myths and misconceptions connected to Monroe’s life and writings – misattributed quotes, inaccurate biographical information, and speculation into personal matters. This well-intentioned content is often attempting to fill a vacuum created by Monroe himself. While his voluminous surviving correspondence of nearly 40,000 documents provides valuable insight into the the political development of the early Federal period of American history, his private nature left minimal insight into his detailed activities, personal matters, or private thoughts.
The new blog series Monroe Myths will focus on corrections or clarifications to misinformation identified in the process of preparing Monroe’s papers for publication, and will address both the serious (“What were Monroe’s last words?”) and the more lighthearted (“Did Monroe have a pet Siberian husky named Sebastian?”). While it will not post on a regular schedule, it will hopefully provide points of clarification and interest for those researching the life and times of America’s 5th president.
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