Eleanor Roosevelt: Pioneering First Lady of the World

If one were to look back one hundred years in time, the world would look drastically different. In fact, the United States would be almost unrecognizable. Not only would clothing, transportation, and the price of milk look different, but men and women would not have equal rights, racial issues would be dangerously prominent in society, and an organization geared toward world peace would be nonexistent. One woman made a colossal effort during her lifetime to create change for the betterment of her country, and also, the world. Eleanor Roosevelt, often given the title of “First Lady of the World,” according to the article, “(Anna) Eleanor Roosevelt,” was the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Many people admire and remember Eleanor Roosevelt for her unfailing dedication to her husband’s presidency; however, few realize that she was unlike any first lady before her, in that, Eleanor was independently involved in her own political platforms and beliefs.

Eleanor Roosevelt did not start out as the strong and independent woman she was

later in life. According to a biography written by Eleanor’s son, Elliott Roosevelt, Eleanor's childhood was a disaster: she was an orphan from the time she was nine years old. Her mother, Anna Hall, died from diptheria when Eleanor was eight. Then, her father, Elliott Roosevelt, died less than two years later from an undiagnosed brain tumor. Her siblings consisted of two younger brothers: Elliott Jr., who died the same day as her mother, and Hall. In addition to the family tragedies, Eleanor also grew up insecure, because as a child she was considered unattractive and awkward by her grandmother (8-9).
In her teenage years, Eleanor began to attract the attention of men. Franklin Roosevelt, her distant cousin, became interested in Eleanor. After courting, the two married in 1905. Eleanor’s uncle and current president at the time, Theodore Roosevelt, attended the wedding (Elliott Roosevelt 12-15). A documentary titled “Eleanor Roosevelt” on the History Channel indicates that during the early years of marriage, Eleanor gave birth to six children, and five made it to adulthood: Anna, James, Elliot, Franklin Jr., and John.
Eleanor Roosevelt devoted her life to bettering the lives of people, and had many accomplishments.

According to the article, “Adoption of the Declaration of Human Rights,” Eleanor was the first U.S. delegation to the United Nations. She was appointed the chair of the Human Rights Commision and lead the draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As stated by editor, Kathleen Kuiper, Eleanor was also the chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, which was created by the Kennedy administration (255-60). Eleanor’s accomplishments had a great impact on society. Her efforts in the United Nations, especially regarding the Declaration of Human Rights, continue to help secure human rights around the world today (“Adoption of the Declaration…”). Also, in return for the change she was creating in society, both inside, and outside the United States, she was given the title “Number One World Citizen” (“(Anna) Eleanor

Roosevelt”).
A person’s qualities are what make up who they are; likewise, a great individual has equally impressive qualities. One of Eleanor’s greatest qualities was her devotion. As written by authors, Dorothy and Carl Schneider, Eleanor was responsible for Franklin’s recovery from polio when he contracted it in 1921. She nursed him back to health, while also involving herself in democratic politics. Her focus was on keeping Franklin motivated to recover, so that he would continue to pursue his political career (235-37).
Eleanor’s most admirable quality was her independence. This independence, as informed by author, Joseph Lash, was a result of an affair that Franklin had earlier on in their marriage. When Eleanor discovered evidence of the affair, she was devastated. She offered a divorce, but for political and family reasons, they stayed together. Due to her insecure childhood, her identity had been found in her marriage (226). When that foundation proved unstable, she instead devoted herself to helping people and improving society.
Eleanor Roosevelt was unlike any of her preceding first ladies. In turn, she set the standard for the first ladies that came after her. Prior to Eleanor, as indicated by Betty Caroli, the role of the president’s wife was mostly hidden from the public eye. A first lady’s duties mainly consisted of White House upkeep. Another common duty that some first ladies handled was helping with the president’s social affairs at the White House. Some, however, avoided public interactions completely.
When Franklin D. Roosevelt ran for presidency, however, it was a completely different story. Eleanor had already been involved with politics when she became first lady. In order to ensure that the public remembered her husband during his recovery from polio, she learned how to effectively write and deliver speeches. Eleanor even had a newspaper column that she wrote every week titled “My Day.” When Franklin ran for governor of New York and later, president, she played a role in campaigning for him. She also helped campaign for another democratic candidate, Al Smith, in a different election (Caroli).
Once Franklin became president, Eleanor adjusted to the role of being first lady. Eleanor had to dissolve her participation in some of her organizations when she took on the role of first lady, however, she did not cease to be involved with politics. Because she was a women’s rights activist, she had press conferences at the White House that were only open to women reporters. This caused newspapers to hire more women (Caroli). Eleanor also took on the role of visiting locations all around the country to check on the government programs involved in her husband’s New Deal, since he was handicapped from polio (“Eleanor Roosevelt”). She traveled to more places than any other previous first lady.
President Franklin Roosevelt died during the beginning of his fourth term in office. When he died, Eleanor did not end her political involvement; in fact, her greatest accomplishments in life were yet to come. Her accomplishments in the United Nations, as mentioned earlier, are the true indication of her political independence. She was nominated to be in the United Nations by the next president, Harry S. Truman (Caroli). If her role had solely been to aid her husband during his presidency, she would have retired from politics at the time of his death.
Eleanor Roosevelt contributed to shaping today’s world. Her viewpoints about the rights of women, racial minorities, and the poor were ahead of her time. These political ideas were not her husband’s: they were her own. Franklin’s affair influenced Eleanor to become independent, as a person, as well as in her political career. After her husband’s death, she continued in politics as an advocate for world peace during her time in the United Nations. Eleanor Roosevelt was able to accomplish more during her time in the White House than any first lady before her, and this is all due to her activism in politics, and her devotion to helping people. Since her example, other first ladies have taken up their own political platforms in hopes of leaving a lasting impact on their country.