Hyde Park

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born October 11, 1884 to Elliot Roosevelt and Anna Hall in Hyde Park, New York. Her mom, who was very mean to Eleanor, died in 1892.

Mary Hall

Go to your studies Eleanor!

Her dad was an alcoholic and died two years later, so twelve year old Eleanor Roosevelt went to live with her grandma, Mary Hall. Grandma Hall taught her ladylike manners, and she learned from a private tutor.

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Roosevelt went to Allenswood Prep in England for high school where she met Madame Souvestre, who taught her politics, French, and helped her gain self-confidence. 

She came back to New York where she met her husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at a debutante ball. They got married, with her uncle, President Teddy Roosevelt, giving her away. She had 6 kids with Franklin Roosevelt. 

  Anna      James    FDR Jr.       Elliot   FDR Jr.(2)  John

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When her husband became Navy Secretary, Eleanor attended her first Democratic National Convention. She also joined the League of Women voters and created Val-Kill industries, a furniture company owned by only women.

Expect a plain, ordinary Mrs. Roosevelt

When Eleanor became First Lady of the United States, she said the United States should expect a “plain, ordinary Mrs. Roosevelt.” However, Eleanor expanded the role of First Lady. She strongly advocated for human and civil rights.

Eleanor Roosevelt was the first First Lady to hold a women only press conference because she knew women reporters had unequal opportunities compared to the men. She also wrote a newspaper column called “My Day” from 1935-1962 that talked about her daily life and advocated for issues, even disagreeing with her husband!

In 1939, Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from Daughters of the American Revolution when they didn’t let Mariah Anderson, a Black singer, to perform.

She also facilitated a meeting between NAACP Civil rights leaders and her husband, the president, to talk about rights. 

Eleanor Roosevelt traveled 400,000 miles in her first year as First Lady. She was known as the “First Lady of the World”: During World War II she visited England and the South Pacific to boost the morale of soldiers and advocate for Jewish refugees wanting to enter America. This made her the first lady ever in an active warzone!