Report by Chilika An Miller, period 2 US history

1. Report by Chilika An Miller, period 2 US history

2. Who Is Eleanor Roosevelt • Eleanor Roosevelt – the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt was one of the centuries’ most influential woman. I greatly admire her for her incredible strength, character and humanity. • She was the first lady to ever to hold all-female press conferences, and the first lady to use her title to take part in active roles in society. • She was greatly known for speaking out against social injustice and for human rights. • I don’t only admire her for her contributions to society, but also for being such a great person she was. Who does what she believes in. A great mother, pushes her husband to become who he became, and was a voice for the underprivileged.

3. The Life Of Eleanor Roosevelt • Eleanor was born on October 1th of 1884 in New York City. Her father, Elliot Roosevelt was the younger brother of the future president “Teddy” Roosevelt. She was adored by her father and she him. Unfortunately in 1892, he was confined to a mental asylum. That same year her mother, Anna Hall dies of Diphtheria- an acute infectious disease that caused difficulty in breathing, high fever, and weakness. Shortly after that, 2 years later, her father died of Alcoholism. • At age 15, she then enrolls into at the distinguished Allenswood School in England. • Upon leaving England 3 years later, she goes to New York City to make her society debut.

4. The Life Of Eleanor Roosevelt Her wedding to FDR in 1905 • It was in New York City where she became engaged to handsome and young Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Who was also her 5th cousin once removed. At that time she took the career of teaching calisthenics ( gymnastic exercises that promotes physical fitness) and dancing to immigrants. • In March 7th of 1905, she marries FDR and a year later has her first child Anna. And another year after that – her second child James. • She gave birth to 4 more children after that from 1909 to 1916. Sadly, her third child Franklin Jr. died of influenza not too long after birth. Tall, slender and young Eleanor at her debut

5. The Life Of Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor and her three children • All was well until 1918 however, when she found out of her husband’s affair with her Social Secretary Lucy Mercer. However, she stilled stay with him and continued to support him in his political career- traveling with him on his campaign trail for vice presidency. She stood by him even after he became paralyzed from polio in 1921, tending him devotedly. • At this time period she started becoming an active member of society joining the League of Women’s Voters in 1920, member of the Women’s Trade Union League in 1922. • In the next few paragraphs, you will learn of her contributions to society and her role in the White House and years following the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Franklin Roosevelt and Family- Christmas in the white house

6. Contributions Of Eleanor • Starting from 1919, Eleanor Roosevelt volunteers at St. Elizabeth Hospital to visit the veterans from WWI. From there she started teaching history and government at to girls at Todhunter’s school. • Another greater step she was defying segregation laws in Birmingham, Alabama when she sat between the whites and blacks at a Southern Conference for Human Welfare. This was a year after her husband was elected governor of New York. And the President at that time was Herbert Hoover. She also arranged for Marian Anderson ( an African American singer of the time) to sing at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday. It was obvious that she was a great advocate for Civil Rights and had a passion for it too. • In 1933, a year after FDR was elected president, she became the first lady ever to hold all female press conferences. I think this stamp really showed her attitude towards African Americans and the little girl symbolized the respect people had for her

7. Contributions Of Eleanor • In 1934, She assists in the formation of the National Youth Administration and tries to get her husband to make an anti-lynching legislation. • When the war broke out in Europe, Eleanor as the First Lady, tours the South Pacific to boost the soldier’s morale. And influences the Army Nurse Corps let black women join in. That year, she also became part of the NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) board of directors. • Her husband died in April that year of 1945. That was when she returned to a cottage at his Hyde Park estate. “the story is over” she told the reporters. • However, a year later, she was elected as the head of United Nation’s Human Rights Commission, when she began drafting the Declaration of Human Rights. Eleanor and a soldier during her tour in 1943

8. Contributions of Eleanor • Now that she’s a part of the UN, Eleanor Roosevelt kept a vigorous career as an American Spokesperson of the UN- creating the Americans for Democratic Action group. • In 1948, she made her famous speech called “The Struggles for the Rights of Man” during a meeting of the UN General Assembly in Paris. She also threatened Truman her resignation if he failed to recognize the newly formed state of Israel. That December, her drafted The Human Rights Declaration was passed by the UN. • 4 years however, she resigns from the UN. • After the Civil Rights Act was passed by Congress in 1957, She spoke at a Civil Rights Workshop at a high school in Tennessee despite threats from the KKK. • She supported John F Kennedy’s campaign when he ran for presidency. • And he re-appointed her to the UN and also the Chair of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women. • She kept up with her active career until her death in Novemeber 7th, 1972 where she was then buried next to her husband in Hyde Park. On radio show on NBC in 1950

9. TimeLine (1884-1939) 1939

10. TimeLine (1933-1962)