Welcome to Amy's
Teddy Bear Page

Clifford K. Berryman of the Washington Post produced a whimsical cartoon based on the incident, "Drawing the Line in Mississippi." Morris Michtom, a Russian Jewish immigrant who ran a top shop on Brooklyn, was inspired by the cartoon to create a cuddly stuffed bear for children. It was Rose Michtom, Morris' wife, who actually created the teddy bear on her sewing machine. He gave it the president's nickname, and the bear became an international phenomenon.
Michtom is alleged to have written the president for permission to use his name, and Roosevelt is said to have replied: "I don't think my name will mean much to the bear business, but you're welcome to use it."

Miller, Nathan. Theodore Roosevelt, A Life. Quill William Morrow. 1992