Eleanor Roosevelt
Life
- Born on October 11, 1884
- Finished her formal education at age 18.
- Worked on improving the community even before her marriage. (Volunteer teacher for immigrant children.)
- Married FDR, her fifth cousin once removed, in 1905.
- Volunteered with the American Red Cross and in Navy hospitals during World War I.
- Early champion of civil rights for African Americans.
- An advocate for women.
- She remained married to FDR after his affair.
Legacy
- Transformed the role of the First Lady into an active participant in her husband's administration.
- Redefined what it meant to be a woman in the upper class.
- Expanded the role of women in society.
Accomplishments
- Served as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations.
- Universal Human Declaration of Rights: how people and nations should treat each other.
- Worked with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
- Wrote 27 books and over 8,000 columns.
"Do one thing every day that scares you."