Eleanor Roosevelt

American First Lady & Humanitarian, 1884–1962

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

(Anna) Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884, in New York City, into both privilege and emotional instability. Her father, Elliott Roosevelt, was warm and charming but struggled with addiction. Her mother, Anna Hall Roosevelt, died when Eleanor was young. Orphaned early and deeply self-conscious, Eleanor did not begin life as a natural public figure. She had to become one—through discipline, moral ambition, and a refusal to let insecurity define her.

A turning point came during her adolescence at Allenswood Academy in London. The headmistress, Marie Souvestre, encouraged Eleanor to read widely, think critically, and speak with confidence about politics and justice. Souvestre gave her intellectual confidence and a sense that personal suffering could be transformed into purpose. After returning to New York, Eleanor worked in settlement houses and learned reform at the ground level—listening carefully, organizing effectively, and showing up consistently.

In 1905 she married her distant cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt. The marriage placed her inside a powerful political world and within traditional expectations for women that she would later challenge. Early years centered on family and social duties, but Eleanor absorbed political realities by observing campaigns, meeting party leaders, and watching how influence worked. Over time, she built her own network of reformers, labor activists, journalists, and working women. These relationships became a second education.

When Franklin was stricken with polio in 1921, their partnership shifted. As his mobility decreased, Eleanor’s independence increased. She traveled extensively, gathered information, and became a political advocate in her own right. She functioned as a field representative and advisor, reporting conditions honestly back to Franklin and encouraging progressive reforms. Support from reform networks strengthened her leadership identity.

As First Lady from 1933 to 1945, Eleanor reshaped the role. She traveled throughout the country to witness economic hardship firsthand. She wrote a daily newspaper column, My Day, and held regular press conferences for women reporters, helping preserve jobs for women in journalism. She advocated publicly for civil rights, labor protections, refugee assistance, and youth employment—sometimes pushing the administration beyond its comfort level.

After Franklin’s death in 1945, Eleanor expanded her influence internationally. She served as a United States delegate to the United Nations and chaired the UN Human Rights Commission. Her leadership was central to the drafting and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She later continued advisory and commission work, focusing on civic participation and women’s rights.

Eleanor Roosevelt wrote extensively throughout her life. Her major works include This Is My Story (1937), This I Remember (1950), On My Own (1958), and Tomorrow Is Now (published in 1963). She died on November 7, 1962. Her legacy rests not on perfection, but on sustained effort, courage, and moral clarity.

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Profile originally written August 1995 | Revised October 11, 2025