William Monroe Trotter meets with President Woodrow Wilson in Washington, DC.

At the meeting of the president with a delegation of civil rights leaders, Trotter complains about the continued segregation in the federal workforce. When Wilson attempts to defend the policy, he is interrupted by Trotter, prompting the president to object to Trotter’s tone and tell the other members of the delegation, “if this association comes again, it must have another spokesman.” Then he tells Trotter, “You have spoiled the whole cause for which you came,” and ends the meeting abruptly. Trotter subsequently embarks on another national speaking tour for the National Independent Equal Rights League, the successor to the National Independent Political League.