Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
1886-1962
Early Life
I. Born in NY to Elliot the younger brother of Theodore Roosevelt and Anna Ludlow Hall, a descendant of the Livingstons
II. Father was carefree, fun-loving and an alcoholic and irresponsible
III. Mother was a beautiful woman, died when she was age 8 and her
Father died soon afterward.
IV. She was sent to live her grandmother, Mrs. Valentine Hall with her two younger brothers. Shortly thereafter the older of these brothers died.
V. She was a lonely child, suffered from probably an inferiority complex,
felt rejected and unloved by her mother, who called her granny, fantasized and rationalized about her father, who seemed to show her love and affection and was eventually raised by a stern Victorian grandmother.
VI. Educated in an English finishing school with other society daughters called Allenwood , that was run by one Mlle. Souvestre. This school
had a great impact on Eleanor, giving her first a carefree and open atmosphere of learning and a climate to develop her intellect. She developed both sensitivity to social issues and, the sense of duty to champion the underdog.
Life in NY after Allenwood
I. Upon returning to NY, at age 18, she found that the social life of her class
was uninteresting, vacuous, and boring
II. She was pressured by her grandmother to debut, but even retreated to her
room during her coming out party.
III. To escape the life of leisure of women of her class she joined
a. the Junior League
b. taught dancing at the Rivington Street Settlement
c. visited and aided needy slum children
d. worked for the Consumer’s League
IV. During this period she meets her distant cousin Franklin D. Roosevelt
a. he was from the Hyde Park branch of the Roosevelt family
b. a graduate of Harvard
c. a Democrat, like his father, White House at 11 with Grover
Cleveland
d. active in campus politics, though a Democrat, forms a
support group for his cousin Teddy Roosevelt’s re-election
in 1904.
e. Even starts to wear pince-nez glasses like his famous 5th
Cousin.
f. Eleanor and Franklin court, marry in 1905, are given away by her famous Uncle Teddy, and leave for an extended European honeymoon.
V. From 1906-1916, she gives birth to six children, one dies in infancy.
a. comes into conflict with her strong domineering mother-in-law
Sara Delano Roosevelt
b. Sees children spoiled and swayed by their grandmother
c. FDR enters politics
1. FDR is elected to the State Senate 1910
2. They live in Albany
3. She gains independence from Sara
4. She gets involved in state Democratic politics
5. Conflict with Alice Roosevelt Longworth and the Oyster Bay Roosevelt children.
Life in Washington 1913-1920
I. The Roosevelts move to Washington in 1913
a. FDR is rewarded for his work for Woodrow Wilson’s election
In 1912 and is appointed Asst. Sec. of the Navy, like his cousin
Theodore Roosevelt
b. Eleanor develops her social skills as a Washington wife
c. WWI opens up new opportunities for ER
1. Works for the Red Cross
2. Becomes an advocate for hospital reform after witnessing the conditions of the wounded
II. Conflict and anxiety
a. The Lucy Mercer affair 1918
b. Sickness, heartache and re-conciliation
c. Positive influence of Sara Delano Roosevelt
III. FDR’s run for the Vice-Presidency 1920 with James Cox
a. Active campaign
b. Retreat to Campobello Island
IV. Polio strikes FDR 1921
a. Period of partial recovery
b. ER’s friendship with Louis Howe
c. ER’s partnership with Howe to help rehabilitate FDR
And keep his political name alive.
d. She begins to volunteer with progressive groups
1. Women’s City Club of NY
2. Women’s Democratic Club of NY
3. League of Women’s Voters
4. National Consumer’s League
5. Women’s Trade Union League
6. NY and National Democratic Committees
7. Active in Governor Al Smith’s campaigns
Life again in Albany 1928-1932
V. FDR’s partial recovery and return to public life
a. FDR nominated Al Smith in 1924, the “Happy Warrior”
speech , FDR’s retreat to South Carolina
b. FDR’s search for a cure for polio at Warm Springs, Ga
c. FDR is nominated for Governor of NY in 1928, and
Elected in spite of a GOP national landslide.
1. As wife of the Governor she travels the state as his
“legs, eyes, and ears” and inspects everything
2. establishes important political and social contacts,
allies, and friendships: Harry Hopkins, Rose Schnei-
derman, Lillian Wald of the Henry St. Settlement,
Florence Kelly of the Consumers Union,
d. She is resolved to maintain her independence.
VI. The crash of 1929- the start of the depression (1929-39)
VII. FDR runs for re-election in 1930
a. Wins in the greatest numerical landslide in history, 725,000 votes
b. Starts relief programs, considers bid for the White house
Back to Washington 1933-39
I. Dealing with the immense problems that have emerged from the crash
and the economic collapse, the establishment of the New Deal
a. ER sees equality of opportunity is more important than “honest
Broker” government
1. aid to underprivileged groups
2. social system of individual rights
3. government role in furthering justice
b. ER sees herself in a unique role as an intermediary between the
average person and government
c. Has press conferences, makes speeches, writes columns,
My Day. (started 1936)
d. Brings reformers to the White House
II.. Establishes with Harry Hopkins a White House Conference on the
Emergency needs of women
a. By December 1933, the Civil Works Administration
is employing 100,000 women
b. Hopkins promises to hire 300,000 more in the next year
III. Founds the National Youth Administration
a. Provides work opportunities to youth while in school
b. Concerned that a whole generation of youth could turn
from Democracy to fascism or communism
c. Makes sure the homeless, transients and black youth are
also helped.
IV. Forms alliances with American Youth Congress and American Students
Unions, and Civil Rights groups: 1936-40
a. Groups advocating extensive social welfare
b. Establishes uncompromising position on civil rights
c. Tries to open New Deal to blacks, housing, jobs, education
d. Worked with Walter White, of the NAACP to sponsor
anti-lynching legislation
e. Strong advocate against Congressional efforts to cut funds from the WPA
f. Works to protect school lunch programs, reform or welfare
Agencies
World War II 1941-1945
I. Took on only official job during FDR’s presidency; Deputy Director
of Civilian Defense. After 6 months she resigned.
II. Did extensive traveling around the USA from 1941-2
III. Started overseas hospitals to visit the wounded
IV. Wrote and sent, with her staff 25,000 letters to the homes of the
wounded.
V. Traveled extensively to war zone hospitals against the objections of the
the military command. Later, after her work with the wounded, her effort
is universally applauded.
Life after FDR and the Post War World 1945-1952
I. ER’s post-war work was a reform agenda consistent with her philosophy
of the 1930’s
II. ER saw the need for a more radical approach to domestic problems
a. Advocated and demanded desegregation in housing
education, and other public facilities
b. Demanded social justice for minorities
c. Began to lobby President Truman about injustice at home
and abroad.
III. Truman appoints ER a delegate to the UN
a. Lobbies for and writes Universal Declaration of Human Rights
b. Becomes vocal advocate of Israeli statehood
c. Works to contain the proliferation of nuclear arms
d. Supports the US containment approach to the growing
Soviet menace
Later Years 1953-62
I. Stays active in politic life: supports Adlai Stevenson campaigns
II. Writes column and makes hundreds of speeches
a. Insists on Universal Human Rights
b. Fights for Civil Rights in America
c. Speaks out against McCarthyism
d. Fights for social justice
III. Appointed by JFK to head Presidents Commission on the Status of Women
Beyond her direct and indirect influence, Eleanor Roosevelt has survived as a symbol in the realm of American and international politics and reform. Her
Achievements remain as an inspiration to fighters for equality, social justice, civil rights, and civil liberties in the United States and abroad.
Books by Eleanor Roosevelt:
My Day
This is My Story
This I Remember
On My Own
It’s Up to The Women
Ladies of Courage
Tomorrow Is Now
The Moral Basis Of Democracy
This Troubled World