Murphree for President! The Curious Case of UF President Albert A. Murphree’s Nomination for the Presidency of the United States

Abstract

In 1924, William Jennings Bryan, one of the most famous politicians and orators of his time, floated the name of University of Florida president Albert A. Murphree as his choice for the Democratic presidential nomination. The darkest of dark horses, Murphree’s “nomination” brought national attention to the university president and ridicule for Bryan, whose choice of Murphree seemed to the press to be a big joke. Although Murphree denied any presidential ambitions, the episode did have a positive outcome from his perspective, as his “nomination” brought enormous free publicity to the University of Florida.