Eleanor Roosevelt, An Amazing Woman Who Changed History

Women's History Month: Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt is best known for changing how America saw the First Lady. She worked to protect basic human rights for women, African Americans, and the poor. Let’s learn a little more about this amazing woman.

A Path to Confidence

Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884, in New York City. Her family was fairly wealthy, but she had a troubled childhood.

Eleanor’s mother died when she was 8 years old, and her father died when she was 10. Her mother had never been very kind to Eleanor and thought she was too serious and unattractive. She would often call her “Granny.”

After her father died, Eleanor was raised by her grandmother. When she was 15, she was sent to a boarding school in London, where she blossomed into a smart and confident woman.

When Eleanor returned home, she began dating Franklin Roosevelt, her distant cousin. They were married in March 1905. Eleanor’s uncle was Theodore Roosevelt, who was president at the time.

Becoming a First Lady

Eleanor’s husband, Franklin, also wanted to become president. But before he could run, he became very sick with polio and almost died. Franklin would be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt became the 32nd president of the United States, and Eleanor was the First Lady.

It was a difficult time for the country. The United States was in the middle of the Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 to 1939. Jobs were tough to find, and people had very little money.

Franklin Roosevelt passed the New Deal, which was meant to bring the American people new jobs and more money. However, due to his past illness, traveling was challenging for him. So, Eleanor decided to be his eyes and ears on the road.

Before Eleanor arrived in the White House, First Ladies hosted social events and entertained foreign leaders and their wives. However, Eleanor wanted to be more involved in her husband’s policies and decisions.

Eleanor traveled thousands of miles crisscrossing the country, seeing firsthand how the president’s new policies affected families from all different economic backgrounds. She reported to the president and shared people’s problems and successes.

Reimagining the Role of the First Lady

Eleanor was very focused on ensuring all groups met their basic needs. She focused on African Americans, the youth, women, and the poor. She strongly felt everyone should have the same protection and guarantees of shelter, food, and a job.

While at the White House, Eleanor wrote a newspaper column entitled “My Day.” In it, she described her daily life as a First Lady and what happened in the White House. She even held press conferences solely for female journalists and reporters.

The Great Depression ended with the US entering World War 2. Again, Eleanor wanted to be very involved. She worked for the Red Cross and traveled to Europe and the South Pacific to visit and encourage the troops.

On April 12, 1945, Franklin Roosevelt died of a stroke while still in office. Harry Truman would replace him.

Due to her strong advocacy for Human Rights, Eleanor Roosevelt continued to represent the United States at the United Nations for seven years after her husband died. She even helped write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which protected the basic rights of people across the world.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s lifetime commitment to improving and protecting the rights of the less fortunate earned her three Nobel Peace Prize nominations.

She will forever be remembered as not only changing the role of the First Lady but as one of the most admired and influential women of the 20th century.