Teddy Roosevelt’s ‘Carry a Big Stick’ Proverb
A letter being offered through Heritage Auctions includes what may be Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt’s first known use of the phrase, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." The letter was written January 26, 1900, when Roosevelt was governor of New York. He attributed the expression to a West African proverb.
Click here to read the text of the Theodore Roosevelt letter.
