Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady. She is often considered to be the most outspoken female politician in politics. Eleanor was an activist, humanitarian, political figure and spokesperson for the United Nations. Eleanor was the longest-working First lady in history. She was a role model for first ladies and great people, even after she passed away.
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, a New York City native, was born to Elliott Roosevelt and Anna Hall on October 11, 1884. Her parents were wealthy and she was born to them, the “The Swells”, a common name for wealthy families. Eleanor loved and adored her father. He was an alcoholic. Eleanor died in 1884 after he tried suicide. Her mother died in 1892 of diphtheria. It was contracted to her sibling, Eleanor Jr. She was left with her grandparents Mary Livingston Ludlow in Tivoli (New York) and her 3 siblings, Elliott Roosevelt Mann & Hall Roosevelt. Eleanor Roosevelt 15, was homeschooled at home by Anna Bamie Roosevelt. The Allenswood School, Wimbledon, London was her next destination. The Allenswood School taught girls responsibility and confidence. Marie Souvestre served as the Allenswood Headmistress during Marie’s time. Marie was a great help to young women develop confidence and think independently. Marie fell in love with Eleanor and Marie helped her learn French to become a great speaker. In March 1905 Marie Souvestre had died. Eleanor made a memorial for Marie’s death by hanging her portrait at her desk. She also brought all of Marie’s letters. Eleanor’s Cousin Corinne Doug Robinson started her first year as Eleanor’s last. Eleanor was surprised to learn that Corrine thought Eleanor was the most popular student at school. Eleanor wanted the school to stay open, but her Grandmother insisted that she return to Allenswood in 1902 to pursue a greater purpose for her life.
Eleanor decided to pursue her education at the age of 17. She was then presented to the Debutante Ball at Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan, New York. Debutante balls, also known as “Deb”, were for young upper-class ladies. This is how we’re going get their “debut”. She said she was sad after the party as she felt disconnected from her London friends. She joined the society in this year and helped to teach dance.
She was also a member of the New York Junior League. The New York Junior League promotes voluntarism and is a non profit organization. She met Franklin Delano Roosevelt, her fifth cousin. They met in a train station and had been communicating secretly for some time. Sara Franklin, Franklin’s mother was not supportive and tried to take Franklin from Eleanor via a cruise. It didn’t work. Eleanor married Franklin on March 17, 1905. Theodore Roosevelt was at the wedding and it was featured in the New York Times. They spent three months in Europe on their honeymoon. Franklin’s mother gave them a Hyde Park house after their honeymoon. Sara, Franklin’s Mother, gave them a house in Hyde Park, which she still controlled. Sara’s house was only connected to Roosevelt’s home by sliding doors. Sara actually caused Eleanor to have a serious breakdown. Sara wanted to be the mother of Franklin and Eleanor’s children. The Roosevelt Children are Anna Eleanor II, James II and Elliott. Franklin jr. and John II were also included. One child died in infancy.
Eleanor was helping Franklin to unpack his suitcase in 1918 and discovered a set of a Lucy Mercer love letter. Franklin actually had been considering leaving Eleanor to marry Lucy. They never divorced but it was a huge dip in their marriage.
Franklin was paralyzed from the legs down after contracting Polio in August 1921. She was devoted to Franklin and her family, while also taking care of political matters. After all that she did, her husband started to take a more caring approach to her. He was able to run for president when he wasn’t sick any more and was inaugurated March 4, 1933.
Eleanor did not like being the first wife at first. However, she was aware of the precedents that preceded her. These first ladies demonstrated that the first spouse should not be the “backdrop” of the president. Eleanor was aware that she needed to make it better, especially considering her political background. Eleanor was now determined to set the first lady on a higher level of political standards. This was difficult because few women have careers and society hates it.
She also held press conferences, becoming the first First Lady ever to address a national party conference. She also wrote a daily column titled “My Day”, as well as hosting a radio talk. She wanted her salary to match that of her husbands. She was currently receiving 75,000. Eleanor Roosevelt is referring to the theme of the WW1 Veterans suing for their bonuses and awards. The government was going to use tear gas on the veterans. Eleanor Roosevelt helped to resolve the conflict by going directly to the veterans’ camp. She listed the issues and brought it up in an informal meeting.
Eleanor visited Arthurdale, Virginia’s poverty-stricken children on August 18, 1933. Her husband was horrified by her experiences and she reported them back. She set up a project where they would create new homes with heat- and plumbing. In this way, the children and their families would be able to resettle and make money from subsistence farming. They began building homes in 1934. The families received fifty homes as a gift. Eleanor visited the area in 1940 and found that it was thriving.
Eleanor saw a problem in segregation as well and made a decision to address it. Eleanor was the only person inside the White House to think wrongly about segregation, making it more difficult. Eleanor invited a number of prominent African-American people. Marian Anderson, a singer from South Carolina, was not permitted to enter the Constitution Hall. Eleanor decided to protest this decision by resigning. Marian then held a memorial concert. Due to her work in Civil Rights, Anderson was quite unpopular in South. Plantation owners became worried that their servants started creating clubs called “Eleanor’s Club” or “Eleanor Tuesdays”. These were private protests against their owners.
During World Wars II, she was also involved in the building of the army. She advocated for the European refugees. She encouraged volunteerism and helped to transform the United States Defense Systems. Franklin died in the fourth term due to cerebral hemorhage.
From 1946 to 1953, she was the First Lady. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an international document that outlines the fundamental rights of all human beings on the planet, was her responsibility. During John Kennedy’s reign, she headed the First Commision to the Status of Women. This organization promotes gender equality, empowers women, and is a member of the American National Committee for the Advancement of Colored People. She also served as a board member of several organizations. Peace Corps volunteers can join, and they provide assistance to people all over the globe.
Unfortunately, she passed away from Tuberculosis at age 78 on November 7, 1962. She was attended by Presidents Truman, John Kennedy and Eisenhower at her funeral. Her Husband was also buried in Hyde Park. She was not forgotten, even though she had died. She was inducted into The Women’s Hall of Fame in 1973 after her death. Riverside Park also houses her monument, which was created in 1996. This statue depicts the first statue of a woman and her accomplishments. The Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights was established in 1998.
Her legacy as First Lady, Activist, Humanitarian, and Activist continued after her death. She was an example of American leadership and encouraged us to speak up. She was not afraid to fight for the right cause, even if society thought it was wrong. She is a model of caring and a better person. She was a true example of kindness, respect and admiration.
