William Jennings Bryan Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925), was elected to Congress in 1890, serving from 1891-1895. The Nebraska legislator soon became the acknowledged leader of the Free Silver Movement and, following his defeat for a Senate seat in 1894, returned to the private sector to wage his battle against proponents of the gold standard. As editor of the "Omaha World-Herald" and a popular lecturer, Bryan perfected his argument and delivered his "Cross of Gold" speech at the 1896 Democratic convention, resulting in his first presidential nomination. Although he lost the presidency to McKinley that year and in 1900 and failed to beat Taft in 1908, Bryan returned to high public office as President Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of State (1913-1915). After his resignation, Bryan returned to law for ten years before again gaining national prominence -- this time in July 1925 as the prosecuting attorney in Tennessee vs. Scopes, popularly known as the Scopes Monkey Trial. Although he was successful in debating the case against Clarence Darrow, the experience took its toll; Bryan fell ill and died just weeks later.