Eleanor Roosevelt

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (October 11 1884 – November 7 1962) was an American human rights activist, diplomat and as the wife of President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt, the longest serving First Lady of the United States from 1933-1945. An active First Lady, she traveled around the United States promoting the New Deal and visited troops at the frontlines during World War II. She was a first-wave Feminist and an active supporter of the American Civil Rights Movement.

First Lady

In 1939, the opera singer Marian Anderson was refused permission to perform at Constitution Hall in Washington because of her skin color. Mrs. Roosevelt arranged for Anderson to perform from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, to a live audience of 70,000, and a nationwide radio audience.

Related Topics:
1939 - Opera - Marian Anderson - Constitution Hall - Lincoln Memorial

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During Mr. Roosevelt's terms as President, Eleanor was very vocal about her support of the civil rights movement and African-American rights. However, her husband needed the support of Southern Democrats (notoriously racist) to advance other parts of his agenda. FDR therefore did not take on the cause of civil rights—one of the biggest stains on his legacy, along with Japanese internment and the court-packing scheme—and Eleanor became the connection to the African-American population and helped Mr. Roosevelt win a lot of their votes.

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Mrs. Roosevelt opposed her husband's decision to sign Executive Order 9066

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which resulted in the internment of 110,000 Japanese nationals and American citizens of Japanese descent in internment camps on the U.S. West Coast. In 1943 Mrs. Roosevelt, along with Wendell Willkie and other Americans concerned about the mounting threats to peace and democracy during World War II, established Freedom House.

Related Topics:
Japan - Internment camp - U.S. West - 1943 - Wendell Willkie - World War II - Freedom House

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Mrs. Roosevelt also accepted large amounts of money from her activities in advertising. The Pan-American Coffee Bureau, which was supported by tax revenues from eight foreign governments, paid Mrs. Roosevelt $1000 a week for advertising. When the State Department found out that the First Lady was being paid so handsomely by foreign governments they unsuccessfully tried to cancel the deal.

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