One of my favorite blogs to read is Letters of Note, a blog that gathers and publishes the most interesting original correspondence documents ever produced by famous people. Handwritten notes, scribbles on napkins, postcards, faxes.

Primary sources are primary sources, but I have always loved seeing the original handwritten/typed document. I'm no handwriting analyst, but I think everyone can at least get somewhat of a sense of how the author is feeling at that particular moment. When there are revisions or scribbles on the document, even better—readers can see the author's ideas develop.

The best part of these correspondence documents, however, are that they are intended for only one reader. A handwritten letter from Jimi Hendrix to his girlfriend is as hilarious as you would imagine.

Of all the Beatles-related books I have read, my favorite would probably be George Harrison's "I Me Mine," in large part because it included his handwritten lyrics on napkins and random letterheads. I'm not sure if they were recreated to look original – I'm choosing to believe they weren't – but it helped put me at the scene of the crime.

So in tribute, sort of, I tracked down a nice original document from Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Below is the first draft – including scribbles – of FDR's "Infamy" speech after the bombings at Pearl Harbor.



Below is the transcript. Keep in mind, I'm squinting.

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in world history infamy – the United States of America was simultaneously and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. without warning

The United States was at the moment at peace with that nation at the satisfaction of Japan, and was continuing the still in conversations with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after, Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Hawaii and the Philippines Oahu the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply a former recent message 

While this reply contained a statement stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic relations, it contained no threat and or or hint of war or armed attack. 

It will be recorded that the distance of Manile, and especially of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that these attacks were was deliberately planned many days or weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued piece.

And yada yada yada. I could go on with the rest of the speech, but I won't.

FDR was the first to employ a full-time speechwriter on his staff, so I don't know if the scribbles are from the President himself or an anxious staffer.

Most of the edits are just tidying up bad grammar and diction, but it's interesting that FDR dropped all mention of the Philippines. This surely shaped the way I learned about this event, because frankly I didn't have a clue about the same-day bombing on the Philippines when growing up.

I know people don't get as much out of scribbles on original documents as much as I do, so I'll resist the temptation for the (relatively) insignificant ones. It is amazing, however, how many interesting ones are available for free download. And I have oodles of time. Stay tuned.

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