City and county officials gathered at the McKinley Monument in downtown Buffalo on Monday afternoon for the 125th anniversary of President William McKinley’s death and Theodore Roosevelt’s ascension to the presidency.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz shared his thoughts on the commemoration's importance.
"It is right, and just to sit here and honor the memory of William McKinley, as well as the events that resulted in the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, because our country changed that day," Poloncarz said. "The incident that happened here, the assassination of William McKinley, put shockwaves into place that, in some ways, we still feel today, with regard to the creation of the imperial presidency under Theodore Roosevelt, as well as the modern presidency that followed."
The assassination had significant impacts on the country, including how the Secret Service moved forward with the protection of the president.
Roosevelt became the first president to receive full-time, around-the-clock protection from the Secret Service, including unattended public walks, casual strolls across the White House grounds, and unrestricted, open-line, meet-and-greets were immediately stopped.
Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan attended and shared a personal story about recently hosting family members of both presidents and how they see Buffalo as a place of positive transition for our country.
"I recently had the opportunity to play host to two visitors, and one was a relative of Theodore Roosevelt, and the other one was a relative of President McKinley, and they've been traveling around the country, going to sites that are important to both members of their family, and they put it eloquently that the Theodore Roosevelt family is here because of the tragedy of the McKinley family, but they're both traveling around the country to put a context on this. But really, what they put the emphasis to me on was it was a peaceful transition of power," Ryan said.
Among the many community members in attendance was Western New York native John Loss, who said he was there because of his deep appreciation for presidential history.
"I really enjoy presidential history, and I'm really proud of the presidential history that Buffalo has," Loss said. "For those who are interested, someday, when Josh Allen goes to Canton. You can drive to Canton, where the Football Hall of Fame is, and along the way is where William McKinley and his wife, Ida, are actually buried."
Ryan and Poloncarz placed a wreath at the monument, followed by a moment of silence.
