ipl-logo

America's First Lady: Eleanor Roosevelt

1453 Words6 Pages

Eleanor Roosevelt has been criticized all her life for everything she did or said but she never gave up. She set the path of change for the role of the president’s wife, from being a simple public figure to activists in the country. Eleanor Roosevelt transformed the position of First Lady through a program focused on social equality. Eleanor Roosevelt’s parents were Elliot Roosevelt, President Theodore Roosevelt’s younger brother, and Anna Hall (“Eleanor Roosevelt Biography”). Her father was a drunk and her mother used to call her “Granny” for her "very plain," "old-fashioned," and serious deportment (“About Eleanor Roosevelt”). Both of her parents died when she was a child. After her parent’s deaths, she was sent to live with her grandmother, …show more content…

Eleanor was active in both the Red Cross and Navy Hospitals during World War I. In 1921, Franklin Roosevelt was stricken with polio, which made her more active in politics. She nursed Franklin and took over the role as the athletic role model for their children. By doing this, she learned how to drive a car, swim, and ride a horse. She also encouraged Franklin to go through therapeutic exercised. Eleanor participated in League of Women Voters, Women’s Trade Union League, and the Women’s Division of the New York State Democratic Committee. She also established Val-Kill Industries, a furniture factory, and Todhunter School, a school for girls (“Eleanor Roosevelt Biography”). In 1924, she served under her friend Esther Lape on the committee to choose the winner of the American Peace Award, which offered $100,000 to the author of the “Best practicable plan by which the United States may co-operate with other nations for world peace” (Ward and Burns, 243). Eleanor supported Franklin’s campaign for President but she had no wish to be First Lady. Eleanor stated, “I never wanted it even though some people said that my ambitions for myself drove him on…I never wanted to be a president’s wife” (“About Eleanor Roosevelt”). Before Eleanor revolutionized the role of First Lady, the First Ladies had very few expectations and jobs to do. First Ladies were expected to be the hosts for all parties, gatherings, and events. They were to be in charge of all things domestic (“The First Lady and Her Role”). They were expected to be seen but rarely ever heard. One example of this is Mrs. Hoover, President Hoover’s wife, who had confined herself to public remarks largely to her enthusiasm for the Girl Scouts (Ward and Burns,

Show More
Related

  • How Did Julia Grant's Impact On American History

    1195 Words  | 5 Pages

    First ladies have been skimmed over many time by history. While in most books, classes, and documentaries we see the president, we have been missing a large deciding factor in many president’s decisions: their wives. They are not only the public figures of the president, but also the ones that consult the president, and in some cases, guide the president on the correct, or incorrect, pathway. As an example of the many interesting and extraordinary things that have been skimmed over in history, I will be sharing with the reader the impact of Julia Grant, Helen “Nellie” Taft, and Florence Harding on American History as we know it. To begin, Julia Dent, later known as Julia Grant, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but had spent a large

    Read More

  • Edith Wilson: The First Lady

    235 Words  | 1 Pages

    Edith Wilson may have acted as Woodrow Wilson's advisor, but she was still the First Lady who led important steps in preparing for World War I. The First Lady was not exceptionally social, preferring not to host parties or any other social events that were traditionally hosted by the woman of this title (“Miller Center of Public Affairs”). Although she failed in this aspect, Edith began specialized days in an effort to ration the items for the war effort. These included “Meatless Mondays” and “Wheatless Wednesdays” that were days of the week when these foods went uneaten by the citizens of the United States (“Miller Center of Public Affairs”). She even led days when gasoline was to be conserved.

    Read More

  • Dolly Madison Saved The Day Analysis

    2061 Words  | 9 Pages

    Dolley had created a semi-public office as well as a unique role for herself and those who would follow her in the White House.” This reveals Mrs.Madison set the precedent of helping the country and being there for her husband. Instead of following in the footsteps of the other first ladies, she created her own path to walk on. When Madison was in trouble, she was there for him. When Madison needed advice, she was there for him.

    Read More

  • How Did Eleanor Roosevelt Impact Society

    1333 Words  | 6 Pages

    A.Introduction:History of the United States has numerous remarkable ladies who have rolled out critical improvements in women’s life. Two of such ladies were Eleanor Roosevelt Margaret Sanger and they lived roughly in the meantime. They both contributed immensely to change the women’s lives, roles and position them equally with men. Eleanor Roosevelt was born in 1884 in New York. Despite the fact that she was born in a wealthy family, her adolescence was miserable.

    Read More

  • Martha Washington: An Exemplary Founding Mother

    933 Words  | 4 Pages

    She was a worthy example of what a true lady should be. She devoted her life to help others and to support her husband during the war, when he became president, and when he retired back to Mount Vernon. George Washington acknowledged that the success of this country was broadly thanks to the contribution and hard work of the best patriots in America; the Founding

    Read More

  • Abigail Adams Research Paper

    607 Words  | 3 Pages

    She was a very outspoken and opinionated woman whom political rivals called “Mrs. President”. Society did not view women as equal to men, but her ideas and words helped them eventually develop laws giving women rights, as she asked for numerous

    Read More

  • Betty Louise Bell Character Analysis

    318 Words  | 2 Pages

    Betty Louise Bell was told by her parents that they saw something different in her at a very young age. Bell began walking and talking before the age of two. Bell was different than her siblings because she was raised outside of her class and culture. Bell can be described on page 32 as, “a child with manners and affectations more ambitious than her employer’s children.” This compliment came from a manager saying Bell “reminded her of Jackie Kennedy” because of the way she was raised, not because of Jackie Kennedy’s looks.

    Read More

  • Eleanor Roosevelt's Role In The Red Cross, NAACP, United States

    623 Words  | 3 Pages

    Or at least the one’s so far. Our class were surprised when she announced that we were going to learn about one of their wives. We usually never talked about any of the presidents wives. Eleanor Roosevelt played an important role in the Red Cross, NAACP, United Nations, and New

    Read More

  • Dolley Madison Influence

    1604 Words  | 7 Pages

    Dolley Madison will always be remembered for her generous hospitality, kind words, and powerful influence in her role as First Lady of the United States of America. Her lack of formal education did not detract from her intelligence in the least, being clever, sensible, and acute. She is noted for her impact on the role of future First Ladies, often referred to as “the first First Lady”. Although she was much younger than her husband President James Madison, the two had an extremely stable marriage; correspondence between them proves this. Throughout her life, Dolley Madison was beloved by the American people.

    Read More

  • Eleanor Roosevelt's Impact On Modern Society

    661 Words  | 3 Pages

    Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" ("Eleanor Roosevelt"). Eleanor Roosevelt believed the beauty of her dreams, followed through with them and became an outstanding First Lady who fought to change women's and civil rights. Eleanor Roosevelt has positively changed modern society by changing the role of the First Lady and by fighting for political and social change for women's and civil right. Eleanor Roosevelt has significantly benefited modern society by changing the role of being a first lady. As first lady, Eleanor used her job as tool a for change (Marsico 64).

    Read More

  • What Is The Role Of Women In The 1920s

    1220 Words  | 5 Pages

    “An important corrective to a male-centered vision of the Great Depression is to note that while men 's employment rates declined during the period, women 's employment rates actually rose. In 1930, approximately 10.5 million women worked outside the home.” (Bohem). Women’s rates actually rose because of various women that supported women 's job rights. Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the many women that impacted society greatly.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Silence In Eleanor Roosevelt's 'First Lady Bird'

    1120 Words  | 5 Pages

    Public opinion is a driving force in society. It influences every action and aspect of our lives from laws, stereotypes, and people’s roles in society, but these opinions can sometimes be extremely harmful and force people into silence. In First Lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson’s tribute to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt at the first-anniversary luncheon of the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation in 1964, she inspires her audience, especially the women in the crowd, to speak out against the wrongs of society using a recurring theme of women’s empowerment, allusions to the empowering words of others, and Roosevelt’s example. Roosevelt was a role model for thousands and a revered public figure, but behind her idol persona, Johnson

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Eleanor Roosevelt's Informal Speech

    864 Words  | 4 Pages

    Eleanor Roosevelt, with her informal speech, the Adoption of the Declaration of Human Rights (1948), explains her opinion on the importance of the declaration and how we need to treat freedom has a right not a privilege. Eleanor supports her speech by using euphemism, apostrophe, and anadiplosis. Eleanor's purpose for the speech is to address the United Nations about human rights and its importance in the world. She formally addresses this speech to the United Nations, World War II victims, and all victims in the world. Eleanor was born October 11, 1884 has Anna Eleanor Roosevelt in New York, New York.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Eleanor Roosevelt And Marian Anderson

    475 Words  | 2 Pages

    In paragraph ten it says,”Mrs. Roosevelts resignation thrust the Marian Anderson concert the DAR, and the subject of racism to the center of nation. ”Since Eleanor Roosevelt wanted to do things prober, she had to resign t the DAR membership. Mrs. Roosevelt was brave enough to face all the contreveral of the subject of racism. Paragraph six mentions, “ As the controversy grew, First LAdy Eleanor Roosevelt carefully weighed the most effective manner to protest the DAR’S decision.”

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Let Girls Learn Speech

    757 Words  | 4 Pages

    She states that although she is a prominent leader, she never truly accomplished everything she had, alone. By recognizing Nancy Reagan as a figure that “mentored” and “offered her advice”, Michelle reveals the importance of the people who have stood by her in support of the actions she has made to promote female education. To continue, she thanks not only those who have already helped but also women that will be a part of future efforts to continue awareness of this struggle. In

    Read More

More about America's First Lady: Eleanor Roosevelt

Open Document