Eleanor Roosevelt – Biography of Eleanor Roosevelt

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The first lady, writer and humanitarian worker Anna Eleanor Roosevelt He was born on October 11, 1884, in New York City. Niece of President Theodore Roosevelt, Eleanor She was a shy girl who experienced enormous loss at a very young age: her mother died in 1892 and her father died two years later, when she was only 10 years old. Already adolescent, Eleanor She was sent to a school in England, an experience that helped her come out of her introversion.

In 1905, she married her distant cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who would later become President of the United States. The couple had six children: Anna, James, Franklin (who died as a baby), Elliott, Franklin Jr., and John. Despite your busy home life, Eleanor actively worked in public service during World War I, collaborating with the American Red Cross.

After her husband suffered a polio attack in 1921, Eleanor stepped forward to help Franklin with his political career. When her husband became president in 1933, Eleanor radically changed the role of the first lady. Not content to sit in the background and handle domestic affairs, she showed the world that the first lady was an important part of American politics. She gave press conferences, spoke on human rights, children’s causes and women’s issues, acting on behalf of the League of Women Voters. He even had his own newspaper column called “My day“Eleanor also focused on helping the nation’s poor, stood up to racial discrimination, and, during World War II, traveled abroad to visit American troops.

For its active role in public policy, Eleanor it was harshly criticized by some. But, she was nevertheless praised by others and, today, is regarded as a leader of women and civil rights, as well as one of the first public officials to raise important issues through the media.

After the death of her husband, on April 12, 1945, Eleanor stated that he had no plans to continue in public service: “The story is over“She said. However, the opposite actually happened. From 1945 to 1953, she was a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. She also became chairman of the UN Commission on Human Rights. As a member of this Commission, she helped to draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an effort that she considered her greatest achievement.

Outside of his political work, Eleanor wrote several books on his life and experiences, including “This Is My Story” (1937), “This I Remember” (1949), “On My Own” (1958) and “Autobiography” (1961).

She returned to public service the same year her autobiography was published (1961), when President John F. Kennedy appointed her a delegate to the United Nations.

Eleanor He died of aplastic anemia, tuberculosis, and heart failure on November 7, 1962, at the age of 78. She was buried on the family estate in Hyde Park. A revolutionary first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt she was one of the most outspoken women to live in the White House. Despite having had many critics, most agree that she was a great humanist who dedicated much of her life to fighting for political and social change.