Eleanor Roosevelt went above and beyond the traditional role as the wife of the thirty-second president of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Eleanor was a notable social and political activist, journalist, and diplomat; not only during her role as first lady but in the remainder of her life as well. She was a high profile supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, equal rights for women and of social reforms to uplift the poor. Additionally, Eleanor was a founder of the United Nations, the United Nations Association and the Freedom House. Mrs. Roosevelt also served as the U.S Ambassador in the Truman and Kennedy administrations. Eleanor Roosevelt broke new ground as the First Lady of the United States by holding her own press conferences, and by traveling independently to all parts of the world by doing this Eleanor became a political leader in her own right and forever changed the role of First Lady.
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884 in New York City to Anna and Elliot Roosevelt. The early years for Eleanor were the hardest. At the age of eight her mother died of diphtheria and because of her father’s serious alcohol addiction she was sent to live with her cold and controlling grandmother. Only being at her grandmother’s house for two years Eleanor’s father attempted suicide and failed. However, he soon died after due to a seizure. At fifteen Eleanor was sent to Allenswood Academy, a boarding school, in England. She became very loving towards her headmistress, Marie Souvestre, who would later be her role model in life. Souvestre introduced Eleanor to charity causes and social activities. In 1902, Eleanor was eighteen at the time and was forced to leave England and come back to New York for her debut into society. It was at this ball Eleanor would meet her future husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Franklin was her fifth cousin once removed. On March 17th, 1905 the two were married and Theodore Roosevelt, Eleanor’s favorite uncle,...