| When writing a letter of resignation, keep it short, | | | | grievances, no apologies. Just a dated and signed |
| positive, and simply include the date, your mailing | | | | letter, so there would never be any question as to |
| address, a brief statement, and your signature. I don't | | | | when the resignation was tendered and absolutely no |
| recommend that you use the letter as a way to air | | | | cause for the letter to ever be construed to have legal |
| grievances or point fingers. | | | | implications - libel, admission of guilt, etc. |
| One famous example is the letter Eleanor Roosevelt, | | | | One more example: excerpts from the resignation |
| wife of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, wrote to | | | | letter of Attorney General John Ashcroft to President |
| the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), | | | | Bush: |
| resigning as a member. Never one to put politics over | | | | "Dear Mr. President: Nothing in my life compares to the |
| conscience, Eleanor felt she had to resign, despite | | | | high honor of serving America as Attorney General in |
| possible repercussions with her husband's Southern | | | | your administration. |
| supporters, when the DAR refused to allow the great | | | | The cause of justice is indeed a serious calling. |
| African American opera singer Marian Anderson to | | | | Americans have been spared the violence and |
| perform in their Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. | | | | savagery of terrorist attack on our soil since |
| Many people had spoken out against the DAR's racist | | | | September 11, 2001. |
| actions, but the issue took on national importance | | | | ...Thank you for your leadership which has made these |
| when Mrs. Roosevelt resigned. Yet this is what she | | | | and many other justice-related achievements possible. |
| humbly wrote: | | | | The demands of justice are both rewarding and |
| "I am afraid that I have never been a very useful | | | | depleting. I take great personal satisfaction in the |
| member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, | | | | record which has been developed. The objective of |
| so I know it will make very little difference to you | | | | securing the safety of Americans from crime and |
| whether I resign, or whether I continue to be a member | | | | terror has been achieved. The rule of law has been |
| of your organization. However, I am in complete | | | | strengthened and upheld in the courts. Yet, I believe |
| disagreement with the attitude taken in refusing | | | | that the Department of Justice would be well served |
| Constitution Hall to a great artist. You have set an | | | | by new leadership and fresh inspiration. I believe that |
| example which seems to me unfortunate, and I feel | | | | my energies and talents should be directed toward |
| obliged to send in to you my resignation. You had an | | | | other challenging horizons. |
| opportunity to lead in an enlightened way and it seems | | | | Therefore, I humbly state my desire to resign from the |
| to me that your organization has failed. | | | | office of United States Attorney General. |
| I realize that many people will not agree with me, but | | | | ...I am grateful to you for the profound honor of serving |
| feeling as I do this seems to me the only proper | | | | under your clear, principled leadership. |
| procedure to follow. | | | | May God continue to bless, guide, and direct you and |
| Very sincerely yours," | | | | your family as you lead America forward in freedom. |
| It wasn't necessary for Mrs. Roosevelt to give a | | | | Most Sincerely, |
| reason, however under the circumstances she wanted | | | | John Ashcroft" |
| to explain briefly. Details were not necessary, not even | | | | [ |
| mentioning Marian Anderson's name being an example. | | | | Again there is nothing negative in this letter, no blame, |
| Mrs. Roosevelt wrote very briefly, unassumingly, and | | | | nothing that could implicate Mr. Ashcroft in any wrong |
| humbly, yet with conviction. Well done! | | | | doing, and nothing but recognition of his own and |
| Richard Nixon's letter of resignation as President of the | | | | President Bush's [his boss's] positive attributes and |
| United States is perhaps the shortest letter of | | | | accomplishments. |
| resignation ever written, to the Secretary of State, | | | | The text I've underlined is what I think is the most |
| Henry Kissinger: | | | | effective part of the letter. This is where Mr. Ashcroft |
| Dated August 9th, 1974 | | | | states his reasons for resigning in a most positive light |
| "Dear Mr. Secretary, I hereby resign the office of | | | | for both himself, his "boss", and his country. |
| President of the United States. | | | | Through using these three examples, I've shown you |
| Sincerely, | | | | how you can graciously, succinctly and honorably offer |
| Richard Nixon" | | | | a letter of resignation, whether it be from a job or a |
| Addressed to and later initialed by Henry Kissinger. | | | | membership position. From these examples you can |
| That got the job done. A letter of formal resignation | | | | find instruction and inspiration for any letter of |
| for the record, no explanation, no finger-pointing, no | | | | resignation. |