Papers of Martin Van Buren
@vanburenpapers.bsky.social
The official account of The Papers of Martin Van Buren print and digital editions, located at Cumberland University. https://linktr.ee/vanburenpapers
If you missed last night's lecture by Dr. Tom Balcerski, you can watch it at the link below.
www.youtube.com/live/YdSFauS...
www.youtube.com/live/YdSFauS...
October 29, 2025 at 1:35 PM
If you missed last night's lecture by Dr. Tom Balcerski, you can watch it at the link below.
www.youtube.com/live/YdSFauS...
www.youtube.com/live/YdSFauS...
October 28, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Dr. Tom Balcerski will be delivering the Fall 2025 Cynthia Van Buren Lecture on campus tomorrow.
October 27, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Dr. Tom Balcerski will be delivering the Fall 2025 Cynthia Van Buren Lecture on campus tomorrow.
On this date in 1825, the Erie Canal opened. Martin Van Buren explained his support of the canal's construction in an 1817 speech that he gave while a New York state senator.
Credit: New York State Archives Partnership Trust and vanburenpapers.org/document-mvb...
Credit: New York State Archives Partnership Trust and vanburenpapers.org/document-mvb...
October 26, 2025 at 6:40 PM
On this date in 1825, the Erie Canal opened. Martin Van Buren explained his support of the canal's construction in an 1817 speech that he gave while a New York state senator.
Credit: New York State Archives Partnership Trust and vanburenpapers.org/document-mvb...
Credit: New York State Archives Partnership Trust and vanburenpapers.org/document-mvb...
Dr. Thomas J. Balcerski, professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State Univ. & director of the Center for Connecticut Studies, will deliver the Fall 2025 Cynthia Van Buren Lecture, “The Democracy and the Partisan Historians: Writing Party History in the Nineteenth Century United States,”
October 20, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Dr. Thomas J. Balcerski, professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State Univ. & director of the Center for Connecticut Studies, will deliver the Fall 2025 Cynthia Van Buren Lecture, “The Democracy and the Partisan Historians: Writing Party History in the Nineteenth Century United States,”
Former PMVB intern Alexis Tomlinson presented her work on developing lesson plans using Van Buren documents at the recent Tennessee Council for History Education conference.
October 3, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Former PMVB intern Alexis Tomlinson presented her work on developing lesson plans using Van Buren documents at the recent Tennessee Council for History Education conference.
Let us be clear: we will not be bullied by log cabin and hard cider humbuggery. Not now. Not ever.
To our loyal users: With your faith in us and with your steadfast support, we will be OK.
To our loyal users: With your faith in us and with your steadfast support, we will be OK.
![Political cartoon of Jackson and Van Buren, with a signpost reading "To O[ld] Kinderhook."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:thenrqqrn3qvnyoocptc3msa/bafkreiaeayitryfqthdjqijf3kja4ucbooskzh4se4ikm7dbcjswgovpgi@jpeg)
August 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Let us be clear: we will not be bullied by log cabin and hard cider humbuggery. Not now. Not ever.
To our loyal users: With your faith in us and with your steadfast support, we will be OK.
To our loyal users: With your faith in us and with your steadfast support, we will be OK.
2. Some critics (many of them funded by Whig PACs, to be clear) have demanded that our project be renamed the Papers of Martin Van Ruin and that our logo incorporate a gold spoon. We categorically reject that demand.
August 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM
2. Some critics (many of them funded by Whig PACs, to be clear) have demanded that our project be renamed the Papers of Martin Van Ruin and that our logo incorporate a gold spoon. We categorically reject that demand.
There's been a lot of talk of rebranding, logo changes, etc., to make sure companies are aligned with the needs of 21st-c. consumers. We understand that perspective here at the Papers of Martin Van Buren, and we always want to be responsive to the needs of our users.
August 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM
There's been a lot of talk of rebranding, logo changes, etc., to make sure companies are aligned with the needs of 21st-c. consumers. We understand that perspective here at the Papers of Martin Van Buren, and we always want to be responsive to the needs of our users.
Watch this space for a new project announcement soon!
(Hint: The Papers of Martin Van Buren are located in Lebanon, TN, home of the original Cracker Barrel and Cracker Barrel corporate headquarters.)
(Hint: The Papers of Martin Van Buren are located in Lebanon, TN, home of the original Cracker Barrel and Cracker Barrel corporate headquarters.)
August 27, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Watch this space for a new project announcement soon!
(Hint: The Papers of Martin Van Buren are located in Lebanon, TN, home of the original Cracker Barrel and Cracker Barrel corporate headquarters.)
(Hint: The Papers of Martin Van Buren are located in Lebanon, TN, home of the original Cracker Barrel and Cracker Barrel corporate headquarters.)
As some of us at the project celebrate the engagement of Taylor and Travis, it's worth remembering that Martin Van Buren also married the love of his life, Hannah Hoes.
August 26, 2025 at 6:36 PM
As some of us at the project celebrate the engagement of Taylor and Travis, it's worth remembering that Martin Van Buren also married the love of his life, Hannah Hoes.
On this date in 1862, Martin Van Buren died at Lindenwald, his home in Kinderhook, New York. As one obituary noted, his death at the age of 79 was "not unexpected," as he had been ill for some time.
July 24, 2025 at 3:26 PM
On this date in 1862, Martin Van Buren died at Lindenwald, his home in Kinderhook, New York. As one obituary noted, his death at the age of 79 was "not unexpected," as he had been ill for some time.
“No one entertains a more contemptuous opinion of the bravery of the Duel field than myself,” MVB later wrote, “or holds the practice in less respect, but I deemed it indispensable to the maintenance of my position to follow the bad examples which publick opinion had sanctioned if not required.”
July 11, 2025 at 6:34 PM
“No one entertains a more contemptuous opinion of the bravery of the Duel field than myself,” MVB later wrote, “or holds the practice in less respect, but I deemed it indispensable to the maintenance of my position to follow the bad examples which publick opinion had sanctioned if not required.”
Van Buren & fellow NY attorney John Sudam were on opposite sides of a heated case in 1811. The two men exchanged insults in court. Sudam, probably drunk, continued his attack on Van Buren at a dinner party & eventually posted a public attack in Hudson, where the two men were practicing law.
July 11, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Van Buren & fellow NY attorney John Sudam were on opposite sides of a heated case in 1811. The two men exchanged insults in court. Sudam, probably drunk, continued his attack on Van Buren at a dinner party & eventually posted a public attack in Hudson, where the two men were practicing law.
On this date in U.S. history, Aaron Burr, the sitting vice-president, killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. But did you know that Martin Van Buren almost fought a duel a few years later?
July 11, 2025 at 6:34 PM
On this date in U.S. history, Aaron Burr, the sitting vice-president, killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. But did you know that Martin Van Buren almost fought a duel a few years later?
The June 2025 issue of the Papers of Martin Van Buren newsletter is out! It features a recap of @jamesmbradley.bsky.social's recent lecture, the inaugural recipient of the Aaron S. Crawford Award, & advisory board member @mlcooper.bsky.social's current research project.
mailchi.mp/b275a5f83036...
mailchi.mp/b275a5f83036...
June 30, 2025 at 2:42 PM
The June 2025 issue of the Papers of Martin Van Buren newsletter is out! It features a recap of @jamesmbradley.bsky.social's recent lecture, the inaugural recipient of the Aaron S. Crawford Award, & advisory board member @mlcooper.bsky.social's current research project.
mailchi.mp/b275a5f83036...
mailchi.mp/b275a5f83036...
On this date in 1820, Martin Van Buren and Benjamin Franklin Butler announced the opening of a law office at 107 State Street in Albany, New York. The two men maintained a close friendship until Butler's death in 1858.
June 20, 2025 at 4:34 PM
On this date in 1820, Martin Van Buren and Benjamin Franklin Butler announced the opening of a law office at 107 State Street in Albany, New York. The two men maintained a close friendship until Butler's death in 1858.
As a prelude to James Bradley's Cynthia Van Buren Lecture last Wednesday, we had the opportunity to host an informational luncheon on our project's accomplishments and challenges.
April 14, 2025 at 7:12 PM
As a prelude to James Bradley's Cynthia Van Buren Lecture last Wednesday, we had the opportunity to host an informational luncheon on our project's accomplishments and challenges.
@jamesmbradley.bsky.social
will be delivering the Cynthia Van Buren Lecture tonight at 7:00 Central! Watch live:
www.youtube.com/live/7WGyzFp...
will be delivering the Cynthia Van Buren Lecture tonight at 7:00 Central! Watch live:
www.youtube.com/live/7WGyzFp...
April 9, 2025 at 1:32 PM
@jamesmbradley.bsky.social
will be delivering the Cynthia Van Buren Lecture tonight at 7:00 Central! Watch live:
www.youtube.com/live/7WGyzFp...
will be delivering the Cynthia Van Buren Lecture tonight at 7:00 Central! Watch live:
www.youtube.com/live/7WGyzFp...
The rescheduled Cynthia Van Buren Lecture with @jamesmbradley.bsky.social will take place on Wed., April 9, at 7:00 CDT.
March 11, 2025 at 2:16 PM
The rescheduled Cynthia Van Buren Lecture with @jamesmbradley.bsky.social will take place on Wed., April 9, at 7:00 CDT.
Van Buren faced accusations that he saw himself as a king throughout the rest of his presidency. That criticism culminated in Pennsylvania congressman Charles Ogle's 1840 so-called "Gold Spoon Oration," in which he accused him of spending Americans' money to mimic the lifestyle of European monarchs.
February 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Van Buren faced accusations that he saw himself as a king throughout the rest of his presidency. That criticism culminated in Pennsylvania congressman Charles Ogle's 1840 so-called "Gold Spoon Oration," in which he accused him of spending Americans' money to mimic the lifestyle of European monarchs.
This cartoon continued the theme of tyrannical monarchy. It portrayed Van Buren as a king who, like Jackson, was trampling on the U. S. Constitution. A demon had crowned him "Ragamuffin king . . . in the name of Belzebub [sic]."
February 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM
This cartoon continued the theme of tyrannical monarchy. It portrayed Van Buren as a king who, like Jackson, was trampling on the U. S. Constitution. A demon had crowned him "Ragamuffin king . . . in the name of Belzebub [sic]."
Andrew Jackson's critics accused him of being a despotic monarch for many of his actions as president. They continued, and added to, that criticism when Martin Van Buren succeeded Jackson in the White House.
February 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Andrew Jackson's critics accused him of being a despotic monarch for many of his actions as president. They continued, and added to, that criticism when Martin Van Buren succeeded Jackson in the White House.
Tonight's lecture with @jamesmbradley.bsky.social has been postponed due to weather. Details of the rescheduled event will be posted when available.
February 17, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Tonight's lecture with @jamesmbradley.bsky.social has been postponed due to weather. Details of the rescheduled event will be posted when available.