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Eleanor Roosevelt

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description Eleanor Roosevelt Overview

First Lady during FDR's presidency, Eleanor transformed the role into one of active advocacy. She held press conferences, wrote a newspaper column, and championed civil rights, women's rights, and the New Deal. After FDR's death, she chaired the UN Human Rights Commission and helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She remains a global icon for human dignity and social justice.

help Eleanor Roosevelt FAQ

How did Eleanor Roosevelt change the role of First Lady?

During Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency from 1933 to 1945, she traveled widely, investigated social conditions, held her own press conferences, and publicly advocated policy positions. Her activism made the office far more independent and politically visible.

Why did Eleanor Roosevelt hold women-only press conferences?

She restricted her press conferences to women reporters, which pressured newspapers to employ women if they wanted coverage from the First Lady. She held hundreds of these meetings during her years in the White House.

What was Eleanor Roosevelt's role in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

President Harry S. Truman appointed her to the United Nations delegation, and she chaired the UN Commission on Human Rights. She helped guide the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to adoption in 1948.

What was My Day?

My Day was Eleanor Roosevelt's syndicated newspaper column, begun in 1935. She used it to discuss travel, public policy, civil rights, wartime life, and her daily work in a direct personal voice.