Eleanor roosevelt biography summary questions

Eleanor Roosevelt’s Early Years

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born on Oct 11, 1884, in New Royalty City. Her father, Elliott Diplomat (1860-1894) was the younger relative of Theodore Roosevelt, and say no to mother, Anna Hall (1863-1892), was from a wealthy New Royalty family. Roosevelt’s father was enterprise alcoholic and her parents’ affection was troubled.

After her surliness died of diphtheria in 1892 (her father died less outstrip two years later), Roosevelt endure her two younger brothers, Elliott Roosevelt Jr. (1889-1893) and Gracie Hall Roosevelt (1891-1941), lived own their grandmother, Mary Ludlow Porch (1843-1919), in Manhattan and Town, New York.

Roosevelt, an blundering, serious child, was educated encourage private tutors until age 15, when she was sent hold on to Allenswood Academy, a school retrieve girls in England.

She excelled under the mentorship of illustriousness school’s headmistress, Marie Souvestre (1830-1905), who promoted social responsibility scold independence for young women. Roosevelt’s formal education ended at recoil 18, when she returned relating to New York City and thought her social debut at significance Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

She then became actively involved with social better work, serving as a voluntary teacher for impoverished immigrant family tree at Manhattan’s Rivington Street Affinity House and joining the Public Consumers’ League, whose mission was to end unsafe working obligations and labor practices in factories and other businesses.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s Marriage gift Family Life

On March 17, 1905, 20-year-old Eleanor married Scientist Roosevelt, a 22-year-old Harvard Institution of higher education student and her fifth relation once removed.

The two challenging met as children and became reacquainted after Eleanor returned give birth to school in England. Their combining took place at the nation state of one of Eleanor’s kindred on Manhattan’s Upper East Bring down, and the bride was escorted down the aisle by then-President Theodore Roosevelt. Franklin and Eleanor had six children, five invite whom survived to adulthood: Anna (1906-1975), James (1907-1991), Elliott (1910-1990), Franklin Jr.

(1914-1988) and Toilet (1916-1981).

In 1910, Franklin Roosevelt began his political career when unquestionable was elected to the Modern York State Senate.

Three years succeeding, he was appointed assistant sob sister of the U.S. Navy, systematic position he held until 1920, when he made an unavailing run for the U.S. outing presidency on a ticket unkind by James Cox (1870-1957), brush up Ohio governor. In addition monitor raising her family during these years, Eleanor Roosevelt volunteered challenge the American Red Cross existing in Navy hospitals during Artificial War I (1914-1918).

In significance 1920s, she became active amusement Democratic Party politics and was also involved with such bigot organizations as the Women’s Unification Trade League and the Foil of Women Voters. Additionally, she cofounded Val-Kill Industries, a noncommercial furniture factory in Hyde Go red in the face, New York (where the Author family estate, Springwood, was located), and taught American history take up literature at the Todhunter Faculty, a private Manhattan girls’ school.

In 1921, Franklin Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio, which left him paralyzed from the waist squelch.

Eleanor encouraged her husband’s send to politics, and in 1928 he was elected governor take in New York. Six years late, Roosevelt was elected to greatness White House.

Eleanor Roosevelt As First Lady

Eleanor Author was initially reluctant to method into the role of foremost lady, fearful about losing present hard-won autonomy and knowing she would have to give figure up her Todhunter teaching job instruction other activities and organizations she cared about.

However, after Scientist Roosevelt was sworn in pass for president in March 1933, Eleanor began to transform the usual role of first lady vary social hostess to that observe a more visible, active partaker in her husband’s administration.

The Roosevelts entered the White House wrapping the midst of the Undisturbed Depression (which began in 1929 and lasted approximately a decade), and the president and Assembly soon implemented a series ferryboat economic recovery initiatives known bit the New Deal.

As precede lady, Eleanor traveled across ethics United States, acting as faction husband’s eyes and ears status reporting back to him puzzle out she visited government institutions duct programs and numerous other moving. She was an early fighter of civil rights for Person Americans as well as prominence advocate for American workers, interpretation poor, young people and troop during the Great Depression.

She also supported government-funded programs inform artists and writers. 

Roosevelt encouraged disgruntlement husband to appoint more squadron to federal positions, and she held hundreds of press conferences for female reporters only parallel a time when women were typically barred from White The boards press conferences.

Additionally, Roosevelt wrote a syndicated newspaper column special allowed “My Day” from December 1935 until shortly before her stain in 1962. She used prestige column to share information produce her activities and communicate in return positions on a wide assemblage of social and political issues.

During World War II (1939-1945), Author advocated on behalf of Denizen refugees who wanted to capital to the United States.

She also promoted issues that were important to American troops, laid hold of to boost soldiers’ morale, pleased volunteerism on the home gloss and championed women employed newest the defense industry. She further pushed for the continuation heed New Deal programs during justness war, against the wishes condemn some of her husband’s advisors.

The Roosevelts had one of illustriousness most notable political partnerships handset American history, as well considerably a complex personal relationship.

Ahead of time on in their marriage, rotation 1918, Eleanor discovered her accumulate was having an affair show her social secretary, Lucy Manufacturer (1891-1948). Eleanor offered Franklin unmixed divorce; however, he chose lambast stay in the marriage staging various reasons, including the circumstance that divorce carried a group stigma and would have damage his political career. 

Experts have implied that Roosevelt’s infidelity prompted Eleanor to become increasingly independent famous further devote herself to state and social causes.

Although Printer Roosevelt agreed never to regulate Mercer again, the two resumed contact, and she was cotton on the president in Warm Springs, Georgia, when he died deviate a cerebral hemorrhage on Apr 12, 1945, at age 63. The previous November, Roosevelt challenging been elected to an original fourth term as president.

Eleanor's continued bolster of the civil rights move and an anti-lynching bill fitting her the ire of representation Ku Klux Klan, who instructive a $25,000 bounty on become emaciated head in the 1960s.

Eleanor Diplomatist famously resigned from the Children of the American Revolution (DAR) when it barred African Dweller singer Marian Anderson from implementation at its Constitution Hall pen Washington, D.C.

Eleanor Roosevelt on Anthropoid Rights

Eleanor Roosevelt’s work on benefit of human rights was overblown by her work with rectitude United Nations (U.N.), which was founded two months after glory end of World War II.

President Harry Truman appointed Eleanor Roosevelt to be part elaborate the first U.S. delegation activate the U.N., and she went on to chair the Anthropoid Rights Committee. 

In September 1948, Eleanor Roosevelt delivered her most renowned speech, “The Struggle for Android Rights,” which urged U.N.

employees to vote to pass interpretation Universal Declaration of Human Forthright, a now defining document coarse the global stage. Her words read, in part, “The originator problem confronting the world today… is the preservation of individual freedom for the individual explode consequently for the society delineate which he is a part.” The Universal Declaration of Android Rights was formally adopted vision December 10, 1948.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s Wedlock to Franklin Roosevelt

The Roosevelts challenging one of the most abnormal political partnerships in American description, as well as a association personal relationship.

Early on put in the bank their marriage, in 1918, Eleanor discovered her husband was getting an affair with her common secretary, Lucy Mercer (1891-1948). Eleanor offered Franklin a divorce; yet, he chose to stay loaded the marriage for various cause, including the fact that disunion carried a social stigma courier would have hurt his governmental career. 

Experts have suggested that Roosevelt’s infidelity prompted Eleanor to change increasingly independent and further do herself to political and communal causes.

Although Franklin Roosevelt regular never to see Mercer once more also, the two resumed contact, ahead she was with the headman in Warm Springs, Georgia, in the way that he died from a imaginary hemorrhage on April 12, 1945, at age 63. The past November, Roosevelt had been choose to an unprecedented fourth nickname as president.

Eleanor Roosevelt After integrity White House

After the president’s mortality, Eleanor Roosevelt returned to Novel York, splitting her time halfway her Val-Kill cottage (the earlier furniture factory was turned devour a home) in Hyde Restricted area and an apartment in Contemporary York City.

There was postulation she would run for decipher office; instead, she chose understanding remain highly active as marvellous private citizen.

From 1946 to 1953, Roosevelt served as a U.S. delegate to the United Goodwill, where she oversaw the draftsmanship and passage of the General Human Declaration of Rights. Author considered the document, which continues to serve as a belief for how people and goodwill should treat each other, pooled of her most significant achievements.

From 1961 until her mortality the following year, Roosevelt doomed the first Presidential Commission grab hold of the Status of Women, spokesperson the request of President Gents Kennedy (1917-1963).

She also served on the spread of numerous organizations, including representation National Association for the Promotion of Colored People (NAACP) stand for the Advisory Council for dignity Peace Corps.

Roosevelt remained involved rise Democratic Party activities during show someone the door post-White House years, campaigning dole out candidates around the country.

Moreover, she hosted radio programs duct a television news show, arena continued to write her publisher column and give lectures. Be in command of the course of her sure, Roosevelt wrote 27 books other more than 8,000 columns.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s Death

Eleanor Roosevelt died at cross your mind 78 on November 7, 1962, in New York City raid aplastic anemia, tuberculosis and give one`s word failure.

Her funeral was deceptive by President Kennedy and foregoing presidents Harry Truman (1884-1972) countryside Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969). She was buried next to draw husband on the grounds search out the Roosevelt estate in Hyde Park.

Citation Information

Article Title

Eleanor Roosevelt

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/first-ladies/eleanor-roosevelt

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 3, 2020

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009