Why Is Alf Landon a Notable Kansan? 1

YOUR KANSAS STORIES

OUR HISTORICAL M-33 HISTORY SOCIETY Read Kansas! By the Kansas Historical Society

Why is Alf Landon a Notable Kansan? 1

Alf Landon Family—left to right daughter Peggy, Landon, daughter Nancy, son John, and wife Theo. 2

1. Image credit: Alfred Mossman Landon, Kansas Governor, with wife Theo and children. Digital image. Kansas Memory. Kansas Historical Society. http://www. kansasmemory.org/item/208959

2. Image credit: Alfred Landon’s Campaign Truck, Junction City. Digital image. Kansas Memory. Kansas Historical Society. http:// www.kansasmemory.org/item/219668

Landon served as governor of Kansas from 1932 to 1936. During the time of the Great Depression he helped to stabilize the Kansas economy. In 1934 Landon was the only Republican incumbent governor to win reelection. 4

My entire security consisted of a Landon’s success as governor of Kansas led the Republican Party bulletproof-steel speaker’s podium to choose him as its candidate for president against Franklin that reached up to my chin—all you Roosevelt in 1936. could see was my head—and one bodyguard, a retired federal agent hired by the campaign committee. That podium went everywhere with me on RXH9 36=H TOPEKA KANS 4 1234A/ 5 the train. It took four big men to load THE PRESIDENT= and unload it. HYDE PARK NY= —Alf Landon THE NATION HAS SPOKEN / EVERY AMERICAN WILL ACCEPT THE VERDICT AND WORK FOR THE COMMON CAUSE OF THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY / THAT IS THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY/ YOU HAVE MY SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS=/ ALF M LANDON.

Landon lost the election to incumbent President Franklin Roosevelt. On November 4, 1936, he sent his concession message to Roosevelt.

3. Image credit: Alfred “Alf” Mossman Landon. Digital image. Kansas Memory. Kansas Historical Society. http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/210953

4. Quote and image credit: Cool Things, Alf Landon’s Lectern, Kansas Historical Society. http://www.kshs.org/10331

5. Image credit: Telegram to President Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt American Heritage Center. http://www.fdrheritage.org/fdr_museum_preview.htm#5 Transcription.