The Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, New York,
tells the story of an extraordinary woman
who dedicated her life
to helping others.
BY RYAN DOUGHERTY
Reflecting once on her life, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote: "About the only value the story of my life may have is to show that one can, even without any particular gifts, overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable if one is willing to face the fact that they must be overcome."
That statement, while eloquent, is too modest. Roosevelt possessed enough gifts-chief among them a vigorous compassion for others-to be remembered as a great American, one who fought for humanitarian causes while redefining what it meant to be First Lady.
Roosevelt was born to wealthy New Yorkers in 1884, but her early memories were not all pleasant. She was a self-described shy, solemn child. Her parents died by the time she was ten. She spent long, solitary hours reading but did not blossom academically until she studied abroad at age 15. While in England, Roosevelt developed the passion for helping the oppressed that would later become her trademark.
She returned to New York in 1902 and worked to aid the city's poor immigrants. She began seeing her distant cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the two married in 1905. The couple raised five children whom Eleanor cared for as Franklin began his political career.
Their lives changed dramatically in 1921, when Franklin contracted a near-fatal case of polio that severely limited his physical capacities. Franklin's political advisor urged Eleanor, who was painfully shy in public, to become vocal in the Democratic party to keep the Roosevelt name alive. After completing a series of speeches and appearances, Eleanor found that she enjoyed and had a knack for politics.
By the mid-1920s, Eleanor fought for women's rights and other progressive causes. She was already a savvy politician when Franklin became president in 1932. The life of a First Lady centered on social activities then, but Eleanor had broader ambitions. She toured the country, seeing poverty-stricken areas and crumbling social institutions. Franklin depended on her to gather the first-hand information that he could not; she was his eyes and ears. She vividly described the country's ills and urged Franklin to affect change.
Days after Franklin died in 1945, a reporter asked Eleanor for a statement. Her response: "The story is over." Indeed, Eleanor's tenure as an influential First Lady had ended, but her own story continued for nearly 20 years.
Eleanor envisioned a quiet retirement at her home, Val-Kill Cottage, spending time with her large family. That plan changed dramatically in 1946, when President Harry Truman called her back into public life as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. Eleanor later traveled the world as a goodwill ambassador. Her humanitarian efforts led Truman to call her "First Lady of the world."
She worked on the 1956 and 1960 presidential campaigns, wrote a syndicated newspaper column, lectured at Brandeis University, hosted a television talk show, and wrote books. Eleanor did not slow down until she developed a bone marrow disease. She died in 1962. Private developers bought her home in 1970, but concerned citizens organized efforts to preserve the site.
President Jimmy Carter signed a bill in 1977 creating the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, "in order to commemorate for the education, inspiration, and benefit of present and future generations the life and work of an outstanding woman in American history."
For more information, visit www.cr.nps.gov/ugrr.
RYAN DOUGHERTY is news editor.
