President Ulysses S. Grant Agrees to Attend the World Peace Jubilee in Boston in June 1872

Image Credit: Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection, Johns Hopkins Library

On April 4, 1872, a group of Bostonians traveled to Washington, DC to personally invited US President Ulysses S. Grant to attend the World Peace Jubilee in Boston, scheduled to take place from June 17, Bunker Hill Day to July 4, Independence Day.

The DC delegation was led by Boston Mayor William Gaston and Patrick S.Gilmore, founder and leader of the World Peace Jubilee as well as a popular musician, composer and impressario.

The New York Daily Herald wrote, "P. S. Gilmore, the Jubilee man, is here with a delegation of prominent Bostonians, headed by Mayor Gaston, making arrangements for the coming musical festival. They called upon the president this morning, and solicited his attendance at the Jubilee, and he has promised to be present. Members of the Cabinet, and other prominent officials have also been invited and accepted the Invitation."

The Boston Evening Transcript reported, "The president entered into pleasant conversation with the party, stating that he never heard so much music as when he visited Boston to attend the last peace jubilee (in 1869), and he would take great pleasure in attending the next. The delegation retired, much pleased with their interview."

Grant had previously attended Gilmore's first monster event in June 1869, which was called the National Peace Jubilee, held to commemorate the end of the American Civil War four years earlier. In fact, Gilmore had composed a march in the president's honor, which was performed for him. The sheet music was published by Oliver Ditson & Company, one of the leading music publishers in the nation.

President Grant kept his word and came to Boston that spring, where he attend two nights of the World Peace Jubilee concerts on June 25 and 26, 1872. Read more about the World Peace Jubilee here.

Research + Text, Michael Quinlin

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