1 Eleanor Roosevelt Who was she? By D’Ann Campbell

2 Who was ER? Early history, b 1884, d 1962 Famous husband –FDR #2 in Navy WWI –VP candidate 1920 –Governor NY –President Social reformer Stump speaker for husband First lady Diplomat Democratic Party leader

Childhood Mother died when 8 Father, brother of Theodore Roosevelt died when ER age 10, alcoholic Orphan under protection of TR Unattractive, love not likely to last, those counted on let down 3

4 Teens, Young Adult Age 15 attended Allenswood school near London under Marie Souvestre – ER learned art & ideas Age 18 return for debut in NY 1902 dates FDR, admired TR

Young housewife 1905 married, lives in Hyde Park NY 5 sons, 1 daughter, 1 son died infancy Domineering mother in law Sara Delano Roosevelt –Forbids settlement house work 5

6 Early Married Life 1911 NY State Senate, Albany 1913 moved to DC, Asst. Navy WWI volunteer work resumed 1918 Lucy Mercer 1921 FDR contracts polio Women’s suffrage League of Women Voters, WTUL, NYC Women’s City Club, Women’s Division of Dems (NY then Nat’l)

7 FDR: strong man with weak legs

8 First Lady 1933 Afraid of being first lady, should see seek a divorce? First Lady Great Depression & WWII Postwar years alone

9 First Lady Made 70+ speeches / year for her husband Wrote 2,500 daily newspaper columns, 299 mag. articles Wrote 6 books Answered letters Gave women prominent positions in gov’t during the Depression era

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12 ER visits workers

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14 Many trips for each

15 Conservative opponents

16 ER & Blacks Was their voice/advocate with the President Mary McLeod Bethune Enlistment in the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard

17 After 1945 Leader at United Nations Leader Democratic Party –Supports Stevenson –Feuds with Catholics –Opposes John Kennedy

18 ER & United Nations First Delegate Wrote Human Rights Declaration Ambassador to the world Most famous American woman in the 20 th century

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20 Eleanor Roosevelt Great Depression WWII United Nations Resources: –PBS documentary –FDR/ER presidential library –The ER Papers at GWU –Robert Cohen, Dear Mrs. Roosevelt: Letters from Children of the Great Depression 2002