Eleanor Roosevelt - Blog 2

by: Michele Schwamberger
WS 200
February 20, 2008

Eleanor Roosevelt, birth name Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, was born in New York City on October 11, 1884 to Anna Hall and Elliott Roosevelt. Elliott was the younger brother of Theodore Roosevelt. The White House website (www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/ar32.html) states, “Eleanor was a shy child that was starved for recognition and love.” At age 15, Eleanor attended a school in England, which gave her confidence. Eleanor married her distant cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in 1905. Eleanor and Franklin had six children. In November 1962, Eleanor passed away in New York City.

Below are some of Eleanor’s major accomplishments in life.

"She's going to last forever as a symbol of the Democratic Party caring about the less privileged," said June Bingham (http://www.nytimes.com/specials/magazine4/articles/roosevelt1.html)

Douglas Martin writes, “It was here she fought Tammany Hall, the Catholic Church on aid to parochial schools, and the sweatshops on the Lower East Side. There are still people who remember seeing Mrs. Roosevelt run for a bus, ride a horse in Central Park or dance elegantly.”
(http://www.nytimes.com/specials/magazine4/articles/roosevelt1.html)

Below is what http://www.lkwdpl.org/WIHOHIO/roos-elex.htm had to say about Eleanor:

“Going to work as a social worker in the East Side slums, Eleanor also taught dance and literature classes to the poor at a settlement house.

Eleanor took a hands-on approach with her deep concern for such less fortunate people.

Eleanor became involved in the League of Women Voters as vice president of the New York branch, the Women's Trade Union League as a member, and the Women's Division of the Democratic Party as a member. Through this work she was able to fight for many controversial issues of the day, such as the right of women to vote (gained in 1920), better working conditions for women, and women's rights in general.

In 1927, Eleanor and Marion Dickerman purchased Todhunter, a private school for girls in New York City.”

I would say all of her above accomplishments show how much of her life she contributed to feminism and trying to stop discrimination for all. She opened doors for other women by fighting such a strong battle for all women to be able to vote and by purchasing a private school for girls and teaching them history among other things. This was a great opportunity that she gave young women.

Yes, I have heard of Eleanor Roosevelt before but not to the extent I feel I now have of her since doing this research. I only knew she was the President’s wife, not what she represented or what she had fought for in the past.

After reading all of Eleanor’s accomplishments, I will be more successful in life by standing up for what I believe in and what I believe is right regardless of how others try and discourage me.

RESOURCES and REFERENCES:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/ar32.html

You can learn more about Mrs. Roosevelt from
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library
maintained by Marist College.

http://www.lkwdpl.org/WIHOHIO/roos-elex.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/specials/magazine4/articles/roosevelt1.html