“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” - Eleanor Roosevelt
Guided/Essential Questions:
- How would Eleanor Roosevelt’s actions and decisions impact matters of social justice and inequalities?
- Explain at least one example of how Eleanor dealt with adversity?
- What does Eleanor’s respect for others teach us about respecting ourselves and others?
Vocab to know and define:
- Empathy
- Inauguration
- Great Depression
Early Life
Eleanor Roosevelt did not change her character, look for a new destiny, or seek escape for the pain of her tribulations. Even in the face of political and emotional attacks, she committed herself to humble service. We know her today for countless acts of courage and progressive values.
On October 11th, 1894, Eleanor was born into wealthy circumstances; but those circumstances did not shield her from hardship. Her mother constantly critiqued her looks and shunned young Eleanor, imprinting on her the feeling that she was unattractive. Her mother called her “granny” which caused her to be very shy and introverted growing up. Her father, who took care of her after her mother’s passing, was an alcoholic. Eleanor adored her father and a strong bond with him. He encouraged her to have strong ideas and pushed her to grow up noble, loving, and maintain a good character. However, her father’s alcoholism would eventually lead to his death. As a result, she was sent to boarding school in England. Although her childhood wasn’t ideal, Eleanor emerged with a strong sense of empathy and affinity for the less fortunate. She sought to help others throughout her life.
The President
The niece of Theodore Roosevelt, Eleanor was destined to be a part of a progressive way of life. A distant cousin of hers, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was obsessed with Teddy. When Franklin and Eleanor married, Teddy walked young Eleanor down the aisle. Giving birth to four children, Eleanor's life became in many ways typical for women of her day.
However, being the wife of a president gave her an unusual and highly visible platform from which to exert influence for good. Her husband’s limited physical capacity and her eagerness to help those in need made them a potentially good team, but FDR sometimes deflected criticism from her activities by saying they were his wife’s idea and not his. As divisions between the president and Eleanor became more apparent in the later years of his presidency, Eleanor was the stronger voice on issues of social justice.
A Growing Independence
Two events led to a desire for greater autonomy in Eleanor’s life. The first occurred after FDR contracted polio and became dependent on his friends, sons, and Eleanor. It was no easy task. Every day, Eleanor helped her husband with morning and nightly tasks, giving him his medications and enemas, and even inserting glass catheters. While this may have been a burden on the couple, it allowed Eleanor the ability to travel and help carry on and present the President’s messages including New Deal policies. It was also at this time that Eleanor discovered his affair with Lucy Mercer; and despite this revelation, she carried on courageously. Eleanor became if anything more assertive in convincing FDR to continue his political efforts when others cautioned him against it on account of his polio.
Shortly after FDR’s inauguration, he wished Eleanor to leave her many activities in order to devote herself to the ceremonial roles as FLOTUS. e. However, Eleanor had other ideas. She knew of her influence on women and was deeply troubled by this idea so instead, she cleared the White House social calendar (aside from events pertaining to children) and set forth on a path no other First Lady has taken. With her own staff, tutors, travel itineraries, and the first weekly radio broadcast for a FLOTUS, Eleanor took to the global stage.
Unlike President Hoover and other politicians during the Great Depression, not only did Eleanor seek to help those in need; she was on the frontlines. She would spend days with some of the most affected. Listening, empathizing, learning of those in the need to help draft later policies, and championing public works and arts programs alike.
On issues of women’s rights, she not only founded schools to provide empowerment and education for young women but would also create “SheSheShe camps”. One of the New Deal programs created by FDR was called the Civilian Conservation Corps which focused on jobs in service of land and environmental conservation. Eleanor loved the idea of it promoting conservation but one flaw in her eyes was that it was only for men. Working with the Secretary of Labor, they created camps for women to employ women and teach them valuable skills.
Her passion for military troops was evident during the war as she visited hospitals at home and abroad. Earning the nickname ‘rover,’ she traveled nearly 25,000 miles and even lost 25lbs in the process of visiting the troops. She also brought hundreds to the White House to celebrate and honor them.
All of this was evident not only in the vast trips and events she participated in but in her read and listened to weekly by millions in her “My Day Column” and radio broadcasts. Her outspoken and compassionate character truly transcended the role of the FLOTUS. Her activism then as it is now, is beyond measure and incredibly inspirational, unwavering in her fight for social welfare in every facet of life until her life’s end.
A Stance Taken and A Legacy Forged
No matter the criticism, if it came from people who argued that she did not dress formally enough and no matter who it came from, even her own husband who during key issues was silent, Eleanor never stood down and made sure her voice was heart. During wartime, she was outspoken and publicly against the treatment of refugee’s home and aboard. In her newspaper column, she often spoke of the conditions of the Japanese Internment Camps and voiced her concerns over keeping any American there and requested that they leave as soon as possible.
She made valiant efforts to work with several agencies to bring refugee children in war zones a chance to escape to the United States. Eleanor single-handedly was able to bring home 100 refugees stuck on a passenger ship the SS Quanza in 1940. However, her stance on these issues further divided her from FDR as he was more interested in the military campaigns.
Another issue FDR was silent on was race. However, Eleanor made up for his silence. She spoke at many events, but none captured the nation as the situation with singer Marian Anderson. The famous singer was invited to sing “My Country, Tis of Thee” and sought to use the auditorium at Constitutional Hall in Washington, however, it was owned by the Daughters of the Revolution who had a ‘whites-only’ policy in their contracts.
Rather than remain a member of the DAR and passively accept what the DAR did, Eleanor chose to resign from the group as a result of not allowing Marian to sing. The result was found with positive headlines and her very public resignation from the DAR over the issue was front page and none could question her commitment to race at this point. Marian would later find herself singing at the Lincoln Memorial in front of some 75,000 people.
After FDR’s passing, President Harry Truman famously asked Eleanor if there was anything he or the government could do for her. In response, Eleanor said, “What can I do for you?” While she was saddened over FDR’s passing, she was just as troubled about the state of the nation and the countless programs that she and her husband had put in place for the country. After 13 years in office, there was no mistake that FDR’s impact and presence would be missed, and she knew that the incoming president could use some help. Shortly after, Truman announced that Eleanor would be the Secretary to the United Nations, a role she carried until her life’s end and one that was close to her heart.
Social welfare and human rights were near and dear to Eleanor and she worked tirelessly to create a Declaration of Human Rights that every human need have. She worked with many members of the UN to help create and incorporate the Declaration into agreement although the United State wouldn't join until many years later under George Bush.
Further investigation activities: Using resources to gain a deeper insight and broader perspective
- Analyze the 1934 speech Eleanor gave called, "The Washington Conference On Negro Education Speech" What is the message Eleanor is giving about education and segregation?
- Research and investigate several of Eleanor’s “My Day” columns. What can we conclude about her character and her values on social welfare?
- In 1939, Eleanor resigned from the Daughters of the American Revolution in support of African American opera singer Marian Anderson. Research this event and explain why she took this action.
- Analyze the speech given at the United Nations to memorialize Eleanor and, using evidence, explain why according to the speaker was Eleanor respected and called the “first lady of the world”?
