Eleanor Roosevelt became one of the most prominent and respected personalities of the 20th century due to her political activities. She accomplished much in the area of human rights during her time as First Lady of the US. E. Roosevelt performed real feats for all of humanity. But her life was far from being as incredible as her career. Read more on newyorka.
E. Roosevelt in her youth
E. Roosevelt was born in 1884 in NYC into a wealthy socialite family. Her early years were a real challenge for the future First Lady. Her parents died very early in life, and one of her brothers died soon after. Her father suffered from alcoholism, and at the age of 34, he decided to commit suicide. He jumped out of a window but did not die on the spot. He suffered numerous injuries and died the next day. Eleanor’s mother died of diphtheria at the age of 29, and her brother died of scarlet fever at the age of 4. It was very difficult for young Eleanor during this period. So when she turned 15, she went to boarding school in London.
After studying in London, Eleanor returned to her native New York. Upon arrival, she married one of her cousins, Franklin Roosevelt. This marriage was very difficult. Eleanor and Franklin were constantly controlled by his mother. Later, Eleanor also learned about her husband’s affair. But despite all the difficulties, she decided to plunge into self-realization. In particular, she was engaged in leading a very active life. But soon another unpleasant situation occurred. Her husband, Franklin Roosevelt, was paralyzed. Eleanor faced a difficult test. She had to give speeches to the public and take an active part in the election campaign instead of her husband. From that moment on, after a series of trials, E. Roosevelt’s outstanding career began.
Fighting for human rights
F. Roosevelt won the election in 1928 and became the governor of New York. Even after her husband was elected to high office, Eleanor continued to be active in public speaking and giving eloquent speeches. When her husband was elected President of the US in 1933 and she became First Lady, Eleanor decided to change her career a bit.
The First Lady felt powerful and that she could change the lives of many people for the better. She began to actively advocate for human rights. The woman, like no one else, spoke very frankly about the rights of African Americans. This later made her a highly respected personality. In addition to her outspoken speeches, E. Roosevelt was the First Lady to write a personal column in a daily American newspaper and a monthly magazine. She was the first to hold regular press conferences on various topics and problems of the country.
In the years when Eleanor was First Lady, her life was incredibly active. She also participated in a weekly radio show. The woman even spoke at a party convention and publicly disagreed with the policies and views of her husband, President F. Roosevelt, which was an incredibly brave decision.
As First Lady, Eleanor was engaged in:
- Creation of various organizations to help unemployed US citizens
- Expanding the rights and role of women at work, as well as promoting their career development
- Expanding the civil rights of African Americans
- Expanding the civil rights of Asian Americans
- Expanding the rights of refugees of the Second World War
- Other.
During the Second World War, the First Lady was active on the home front, bringing her country and the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition closer to victory over Nazi Germany. After the war and her husband’s death, Roosevelt remained in big politics. She constantly insisted that the US should join the UN. All of Eleanor’s efforts on human rights were not in vain. The UN supported her and accepted the US as a member, and Roosevelt herself became the first delegate and representative of the Commission on Human Rights. She made a great contribution to the development of human rights, in particular, to the development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Also, at the end of her political career, Roosevelt was involved in the position of women under the Kennedy administration.
E. Roosevelt died in 1962, at the age of 78. Even before her death, she was considered one of the most respected women in the world. During her political career, the woman was able to achieve a lot in the field of human rights for people around the world. She defended women’s rights and the rights of African Americans.