115-472: Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site was established by the U.S. Congress to commemorate the life and accomplishments of Eleanor Roosevelt . Once part of the larger Roosevelt family estate in Hyde Park, New York , today the property includes the 181 acres (73 ha), buildings and other historic features that Eleanor Roosevelt called Val-Kill . It is located approximately two miles east of Springwood ,
230-527: A "backdrop for Bertie ." Eleanor's distress at these precedents was severe enough that Hickok subtitled her biography of Roosevelt "Reluctant First Lady". With support from Howe and Hickok, Roosevelt set out to redefine the position. According to her biographer Blanche Wiesen Cook , she became "the most controversial First Lady in United States history" in the process. Despite criticism of them both, with her husband's strong support she continued with
345-619: A U.S. senator for the seventeen-day overlap before Bill Clinton's term came to an end. Established in 1912, the First Ladies Collection has been one of the most popular attractions at the Smithsonian Institution . The original exhibition opened in 1914 and was one of the first at the Smithsonian to prominently feature women. Originally focused largely on fashion, the exhibition now delves deeper into
460-469: A close relationship with Eleanor and F.D.R, and Eleanor was instrumental in successfully advocating for David Gray's appointment as United States minister to Ireland ; a post he held during World War II from 1940 to 1947. In the 1930s, Roosevelt had a very close relationship with aviator Amelia Earhart (1897–1937). One time, the two snuck out from the White House and went to a party dressed up for
575-399: A divorce, the couple remained married. Their union from that point on was more of a political partnership. Disillusioned, Roosevelt again became active in public life, and focused increasingly on her social work rather than her role as a wife. In August 1921, the family was vacationing at Campobello Island , New Brunswick , Canada, when Franklin was diagnosed with a paralytic illness , at
690-506: A failure. She advocated for expanded roles for women in the workplace, the civil rights of African Americans and Asian Americans , and the rights of World War II refugees. Following her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt remained active in politics for the remaining 17 years of her life. She pressed the United States to join and support the United Nations and became its first delegate to the committee on Human Rights. She served as
805-462: A giant teapot that was made to emit simulated steam (to remind voters of Theodore's supposed, but later disproved, connections to the scandal), and countered his speeches with those of her own, calling him immature. She would later decry these methods, admitting that they were below her dignity but saying that they had been contrived by Democratic Party "dirty tricksters." Theodore was defeated by 105,000 votes, and he never forgave her. By 1928, Roosevelt
920-885: A global fashion icon: her style was copied by commercial manufacturers and imitated by many young women, and she was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1965. Mamie Eisenhower was named one of the twelve best-dressed women in the country by the New York Dress Institute every year that she was First Lady. The "Mamie Look" involved a full-skirted dress, charm bracelets, pearls, little hats, and bobbed, banged hair. Michelle Obama also received significant attention for her fashion choices: style writer Robin Givhan praised her in The Daily Beast , arguing that
1035-460: A great influence on her later thinking, was also a lesbian. Faber published some of Roosevelt and Hickok's correspondence in 1980, but concluded that the lovestruck phrasing was simply an "unusually belated schoolgirl crush" and warned historians not to be misled. Researcher Leila J. Rupp criticized Faber's argument, calling her book "a case study in homophobia" and arguing that Faber unwittingly presented "page after page of evidence that delineates
1150-469: A heavy travel schedule in her twelve years in the White House, frequently making personal appearances at labor meetings to assure Depression-era workers that the White House was mindful of their plight. In one famous cartoon of the time from The New Yorker magazine (June 3, 1933), satirizing a visit she had made to a mine, an astonished coal miner, peering down a dark tunnel, says to a co-worker, "For gosh sakes, here comes Mrs. Roosevelt!" In early 1933,
1265-461: A highly personal book about his parents called The Roosevelts of Hyde Park: An Untold Story , in which he revealed details about the sexual lives of his parents, including his father's relationships with mistress Lucy Mercer and secretary Marguerite ("Missy") LeHand , as well as graphic details surrounding the illness that crippled his father. Published in 1973, the biography also contains valuable insights into FDR's run for vice president, his rise to
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#17327800661101380-451: A mother towards Hall, and it was a request she made good upon for the rest of Hall's life. Roosevelt doted on Hall, and when he enrolled at Groton School in 1907, she accompanied him as a chaperone. While he was attending Groton, she wrote him almost daily, but always felt a touch of guilt that Hall had not had a fuller childhood. She took pleasure in Hall's brilliant performance at school, and
1495-511: A new official project. SAT's involvement led to the Honoring Eleanor Roosevelt (HER) project, initially run by private volunteers and now a part of SAT. The HER project has since raised almost $ 1 million, which has gone toward restoration and development efforts at Val-Kill and the production of Eleanor Roosevelt: Close to Home , a documentary about Roosevelt at Val-Kill. Due in part to the success of these programs, Val-Kill
1610-491: A number of Jews, including Elinor and Henry Morgenthau Jr. , Bernard Baruch , Edith and Herbert H. Lehman , and Rose Schneiderman . In the 1930s, once she had become first lady, she began speaking out against the growing antisemitism in Europe and the United States and advocating for allowing more Jewish refugees into the United States. However, according to historian Michelle Mart, while serving as first lady, "Although it
1725-420: A picnic at Val-Kill for delinquent boys, her granddaughter Eleanor Roosevelt Seagraves assisted her. She was close to her grandmother throughout her life. Seagraves concentrated her career as an educator and librarian on keeping alive many of the causes Roosevelt began and supported. In 1924, Eleanor campaigned for Democrat Alfred E. Smith in his successful re-election bid as governor of New York State against
1840-704: A picnic on the White House lawn where they were addressed by Franklin from the South Portico. The President admonished them to condemn not merely the Nazi regime but all dictatorships . The President was reportedly booed by the group. Afterwards, many of the same youth picketed the White House as representatives of the American Peace Mobilization . Among them was Joseph Cadden, one of Roosevelt's overnight boarders. Later in 1940, despite Roosevelt's publication of her reasons "Why I still believe in
1955-532: A reporter, Hickok soon resigned her position with the AP to be closer to Roosevelt, who secured her a job as an investigator for a New Deal program. There is considerable debate about whether or not Roosevelt had a sexual relationship with Hickok. It was known in the White House press corps at the time that Hickok was a lesbian. Scholars, including Lillian Faderman and Hazel Rowley , have asserted that there
2070-530: A response to Elliott's book. A sequel to An Untold Story with James Brough, published in 1975 and titled A Rendezvous With Destiny , carried the Roosevelt saga to the end of World War II. Mother R.: Eleanor Roosevelt's Untold Story , also with Brough, was published in 1977. Eleanor Roosevelt, with Love: A Centenary Remembrance , came out in 1984. Eleanor had a close relationship with her aunt, Maude Livingston Hall. The younger sister of Eleanor's mother, Maude
2185-453: A sapphire ring Hickok had given her. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover despised Roosevelt's liberalism, her stance regarding civil rights, and criticisms of Hoover's surveillance tactics by both her and her husband, and so Hoover maintained a large file on Roosevelt, which the filmmakers of the biopic J. Edgar (2011) indicate included compromising evidence of this relationship, with which Hoover intended to blackmail Roosevelt. Compromised as
2300-406: A serious manner as a child. Anna emotionally rejected Eleanor and was also somewhat ashamed of her daughter's alleged "plainness". Roosevelt had two younger brothers: Elliott Jr. and Hall . She also had a half-brother, Elliott Roosevelt Mann, through her father's affair with Katy Mann, a servant employed by the family. Roosevelt was born into a world of immense wealth and privilege, as her family
2415-513: A special interest in Roosevelt, who learned to speak French fluently and gained self-confidence. Roosevelt and Souvestre maintained a correspondence until March 1905, when Souvestre died, and after this Roosevelt placed Souvestre's portrait on her desk and brought her letters with her. Roosevelt's first cousin Corinne Douglas Robinson , whose first term at Allenswood overlapped with Roosevelt's last, said that when she arrived at
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#17327800661102530-470: A staff to support these activities. Lady Bird Johnson pioneered environmental protection and beautification. Pat Nixon encouraged volunteerism and traveled extensively abroad; Betty Ford supported women's rights; Rosalynn Carter aided those with mental disabilities; Nancy Reagan founded the Just Say No drug awareness campaign; Barbara Bush promoted literacy; Hillary Clinton sought to reform
2645-607: A week while FDR served as governor, but was forced to leave teaching after his election as president. Also in 1927, she established Val-Kill Industries with Cook, Dickerman, and Caroline O'Day , three friends she met through her activities in the Women's Division of the New York State Democratic Party. It was located on the banks of a stream that flowed through the Roosevelt family estate in Hyde Park, New York . Roosevelt and her business partners financed
2760-542: A woman may be if truth and loyalty are stamped upon her face all will be attracted to her." Roosevelt was tutored privately and with the encouragement of her aunt Anna "Bamie" Roosevelt , she was sent to Allenswood Academy at the age of 15, a private finishing school in Wimbledon, London , England, where she was educated from 1899 to 1902. The headmistress, Marie Souvestre , was a noted educator who sought to cultivate independent thinking in young women. Souvestre took
2875-547: Is clear from all accounts that Roosevelt 'cared deeply' about the plight of European Jews, her public actions remained limited, and she refrained from pressing for radical policies to rescue the Jews." After World War II she became a staunch champion of Israel, which she admired for its commitment to New Deal values. In the 1920 presidential election , Franklin was nominated as the running mate of Democratic presidential candidate James M. Cox . Roosevelt joined Franklin in touring
2990-570: Is now managed by the National Park Service . Franklin encouraged Eleanor Roosevelt to develop this property as a place that she could promote some of her ideas for work with winter jobs for rural workers and women. She named the spot Val-Kill, loosely translated as waterfall-stream from the Dutch language common to the original European settlers of the area. There are two buildings which are adjacent to Fallkill Creek. Stone Cottage,
3105-687: The Dies Committee subpoenaed leaders of the AYC, who, in addition to serving the AYC, also were members of the Young Communist League . Roosevelt was in attendance at the hearings and afterward invited the subpoenaed witnesses to board at the White House during their stay in Washington D.C. Joseph P. Lash was one of her boarders. On February 10, 1940, members of the AYC, as guests of Roosevelt in her capacity as first lady, attended
3220-660: The Franklin D. Roosevelt home. It is a few hundred feet east of New York State Route 9G , along which runs the Dutchess County bus route C to Tivoli . Eleanor Roosevelt created and shared Val-Kill with her friends Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman . At Val-Kill, they established Val-Kill Industries to employ local farming families in handcraft traditions. The Roosevelts frequently used Val-Kill's relaxed setting for entertaining family, friends, political associates, and world leaders. Nancy and Marion sold their interest in
3335-546: The Nexis database, the abbreviation FLOTUS (pronounced / ˈ f l ə ʊ t ɪ s / ) was first used in 1983 by Donnie Radcliffe, writing in The Washington Post . Several women (at least thirteen) who were not presidents' wives have served as first lady, as when the president was a bachelor or widower, or when the wife of the president was unable to fulfill the duties of the first lady herself. In these cases,
3450-450: The War of 1812 . Madison set the standard for the ladyship and her actions were the model for nearly every first lady until Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1930s. Roosevelt traveled widely and spoke to many groups, often voicing personal opinions to the left of the president's. She authored a weekly newspaper column and hosted a radio show. Jacqueline Kennedy led an effort to redecorate and restore
3565-473: The " Bonus Army ", a protest group of World War I veterans, marched on Washington for the second time in two years, calling for their veteran bonus certificates to be awarded early. The previous year, President Hoover had ordered them dispersed, and the U.S. Army cavalry charged and bombarded the veterans with tear gas. This time, Roosevelt visited the veterans at their muddy campsite, listening to their concerns and singing army songs with them. The meeting defused
Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site - Misplaced Pages Continue
3680-407: The 45 presidents of the United States have been males, and all have either had their wives, or a female hostess, assume the role of first lady. Thus, a male equivalent of the title of first lady has never been needed; in 2016, as Hillary Clinton became the first woman to win a major party's presidential nomination, questions were raised as to what her husband Bill would be titled if she were to win
3795-553: The Democratic presidential nominee in the 2024 presidential election . Had Harris' presidential campaign been successful, Emhoff would presumably have been granted this title. However, Harris lost the election, again rendering this a moot point. The position of the first lady is not an elected one and carries only ceremonial duties. Nonetheless, first ladies have held a highly visible position in American society. The role of
3910-689: The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill in the management of the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site. Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt ( / ˈ ɛ l ɪ n ɔːr ˈ r oʊ z ə v ɛ l t / EL -in-or ROH -zə-velt ; October 11, 1884 – November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband Franklin D. Roosevelt 's four terms as president, making her
4025-671: The First Lady is an entity of the White House Office, a branch of the Executive Office of the President . When First Lady Hillary Clinton decided to pursue a run for Senator of New York, she set aside her duties as first lady and moved to Chappaqua, New York , to establish state residency. She resumed her duties as first lady after winning her senatorial campaign, and retained her duties as both first lady and
4140-485: The Hickok relationship was indeed erotic now seems beyond dispute considering what is known about the letters they exchanged." In the same years, Washington gossip linked Roosevelt romantically with New Deal administrator Harry Hopkins , with whom she worked closely. Roosevelt also had a close relationship with New York State Police sergeant Earl Miller , who was assigned by the president to be her bodyguard. Roosevelt
4255-541: The Land , popularized the title further. By the 1930s, it was in wide use. Use of the title later spread from the United States to other nations. When Edith Wilson took control of her husband's schedule in 1919 after he had a debilitating stroke, one Republican senator labeled her "the Presidentress who had fulfilled the dream of the suffragettes by changing her title from First Lady to Acting First Man". According to
4370-473: The Land", referring to Mary Todd Lincoln . The title first gained nationwide recognition in 1877, when newspaper journalist Mary C. Ames referred to Lucy Webb Hayes as "the First Lady of the Land" while reporting on the inauguration of Rutherford B. Hayes . The frequent reporting on Lucy Hayes' activities helped spread use of the title outside Washington. A popular 1911 comedic play about Dolley Madison by playwright Charles Nirdlinger, titled The First Lady in
4485-734: The Republican nominee and her first cousin Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Franklin had spoken out on Theodore's "wretched record" as Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the Teapot Dome scandal , and in return, Theodore said of him, "He's a maverick! He does not wear the brand of our family," which infuriated her. She dogged Theodore on the New York State campaign trail in a car fitted with a papier-mâché bonnet shaped like
4600-768: The Republican nominee, her first cousin Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Theodore Jr. never forgave her. Eleanor's aunt, Anna "Bamie" Roosevelt Cowles , publicly broke with her after the election. She wrote to her niece, "I just hate to have Eleanor let herself look as she does. Though never handsome, she always had to me a charming effect, but alas and lackaday! Since politics have become her choicest interest all her charm has disappeared...." Roosevelt dismissed Bamie's criticisms by referring to her as an "aged woman." However, Bamie and Roosevelt eventually reconciled. Theodore's elder daughter Alice also broke with Roosevelt over her campaign. Alice and her cousin reconciled after
4715-557: The Todhunter school in New York City, a limited number of Jews were admitted. Most students were upper-class Protestants, and Roosevelt said that the spirit of the school "would be different if we had too large a proportion of Jewish children." She said the problem was that "the country is still full of immigrant Jews, very unlike ourselves." By 1929, however, when she made those statements, her social circle had begun to include
Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site - Misplaced Pages Continue
4830-488: The U.S., the newlyweds settled in a New York City house that was provided by Franklin's mother, as well as in a second residence at the family's estate overlooking the Hudson River in Hyde Park, New York . From the beginning, Roosevelt had a contentious relationship with her controlling mother-in-law. The townhouse that Sara gave to them was connected to her own residence by sliding doors, and Sara ran both households in
4945-410: The United States. In the early days of the republic, there was not a generally accepted title for the wife of the president. Many early first ladies expressed their own preference for how they were addressed, including the use of such titles as "Lady", "Mrs. President" and "Mrs. Presidentress"; Martha Washington was often referred to as "Lady Washington". One of the earliest uses of the term "First Lady"
5060-403: The White House, championship of social causes, and representation of the president at official and ceremonial occasions. Additionally, over the years individual first ladies have held influence in a range of sectors, from fashion to public opinion on policy, as well as advocacy for female empowerment . The use of the title First Lady to describe the spouse or hostess of an executive began in
5175-402: The White House. Many first ladies became significant fashion trendsetters. Some have exercised a degree of political influence by virtue of being an important adviser to the president. Over the course of the 20th century, it became increasingly common for first ladies to select specific causes to promote, usually ones that are not politically divisive. It is common for the first lady to hire
5290-630: The Youth Congress," the American Youth Congress was disbanded. The NYA was shut down in 1943. First Lady of the United States The first lady of the United States ( FLOTUS ) is a title typically held by the wife of the president of the United States , concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never been codified or officially defined, she figures prominently in
5405-403: The active business and speaking agenda she had begun before assuming the role of first lady in an era when few married women had careers. She was the first presidential spouse to hold regular press conferences and in 1940 became the first to speak at a national party convention. She also wrote a daily and widely syndicated newspaper column, " My Day ", another first for a presidential spouse. She
5520-702: The board of trustees of the National Cultural Center, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts . Near the end of her husband's presidency , Hillary Clinton became the first first lady to seek political office, when she ran for United States Senate . During the campaign, her daughter Chelsea took over much of the first lady's role. Victorious, Clinton served as junior senator from New York from 2001 to 2009, when she resigned to become President Obama's secretary of state . Later, she
5635-617: The ceremony was front-page news in The New York Times and other newspapers. When asked for his thoughts on the Roosevelt–Roosevelt union, the president said, "It is a good thing to keep the name in the family." The couple spent a preliminary honeymoon of one week at Hyde Park, then set up housekeeping in an apartment in New York. That summer they went on their formal honeymoon , a three-month tour of Europe. Returning to
5750-472: The construction of a small factory to provide supplemental income for local farming families who would make furniture, pewter, and homespun cloth using traditional craft methods. Capitalizing on the popularity of the Colonial Revival , most Val-Kill products were modeled on eighteenth-century forms. Roosevelt promoted Val-Kill through interviews and public appearances. Val-Kill Industries never became
5865-571: The contents of the factory and the use of the Val-Kill name to continue making colonial-style furniture until he retired in 1975. In 1977, Roosevelt's cottage at Val-Kill and its surrounding property of 181 acres (0.73 km2), was formally designated by an act of Congress as the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site , "to commemorate for the education, inspiration, and benefit of present and future generations
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#17327800661105980-478: The contributions of first ladies to the and American society. In 2008, "First Ladies at the Smithsonian" opened at the National Museum of American History as part of its reopening year celebration. That exhibition served as a bridge to the museum's expanded exhibition on first ladies' history that opened on November 19, 2011. "The First Ladies" explores the unofficial but important position of first lady and
6095-509: The country, making her first campaign appearances. Cox was defeated by Republican Warren G. Harding , who won with 404 electoral votes to 127. Following the onset of Franklin's paralytic illness in 1921, Roosevelt began serving as a stand-in for her incapacitated husband, making public appearances on his behalf, often carefully coached by Louis Howe. She also started working with the Women's Trade Union League (WTUL), raising funds in support of
6210-696: The deaths of both parents and one of her brothers at a young age. At 15, she attended Allenswood Boarding Academy in London and was deeply influenced by its founder and director Marie Souvestre . Returning to the U.S., she married her fifth cousin once removed, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in 1905. Between 1906 and 1916 she gave birth to six children, one of whom died in infancy. The Roosevelts' marriage became complicated after Eleanor discovered her husband's affair with her social secretary, Lucy Mercer , in 1918. Due to mediation by her mother-in-law, Sara , who
6325-739: The decade after the marriage. Early on, Roosevelt had a breakdown in which she explained to Franklin that "I did not like to live in a house which was not in any way mine, one that I had done nothing about and which did not represent the way I wanted to live", but little changed. Sara also sought to control the raising of her grandchildren, and Roosevelt reflected later that "Franklin's children were more my mother-in-law's children than they were mine". Roosevelt's eldest son James remembered Sara telling her grandchildren, "Your mother only bore you, I am more your mother than your mother is." Roosevelt and Franklin had six children: Roosevelt disliked having sex with her husband. She once told her daughter Anna that it
6440-594: The education, inspiration, and benefit of present and future generations the life and work of an outstanding woman in American history." In 1984 the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill negotiated an agreement with the National Park Service and made Stone Cottage its home. In 2008 the Eleanor Roosevelt Center moved from Stone Cottage to a new facility at Val-Kill. In 1998, Save America's Treasures (SAT) announced Val-Kill Cottage as
6555-474: The election, rendering this a moot point. In 2021, Kamala Harris took office as vice president, making her husband Doug Emhoff the first male spouse of a nationally elected officeholder. Emhoff assumed the title of Second Gentleman of the United States ("gentleman" replacing "lady" in the title) making it likely that any future male spouse of a president will be given the title of first gentleman. Harris would later go on to replace President Joe Biden as
6670-473: The end of each trip. In 1927, she joined friends Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook in buying the Todhunter School for Girls, a finishing school which also offered college preparatory courses, in New York City. At the school, Roosevelt taught upper-level courses in American literature and history, emphasizing independent thought, current events, and social engagement. She continued to teach three days
6785-635: The first chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights and oversaw the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights . Later, she chaired the John F. Kennedy administration's Presidential Commission on the Status of Women . By the time of her death, Roosevelt was regarded as "one of the most esteemed women in the world"; The New York Times called her "the object of almost universal respect" in her obituary. In 1999, Roosevelt
6900-469: The first lady has evolved over the centuries. She is, first and foremost, the hostess of the White House. She organizes and attends official ceremonies and functions of state either along with, or in place of, the president. Lisa Burns identifies four successive main themes of the first ladyship: as public woman (1900–1929); as political celebrity (1932–1961); as political activist (1964–1977); and as political interloper (1980–2001). Martha Washington created
7015-484: The governorship of New York, and his capture of the presidency in 1932, particularly with the help of Louis Howe. When Elliott published this book in 1973, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. led the family's denunciation of him; the book was fiercely repudiated by all Elliott's siblings. Another of the siblings, James, published My Parents, a Differing View (with Bill Libby , 1976), which was written in part as
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#17327800661107130-536: The growth and development of a love affair between the two women." In 1992, Roosevelt biographer Blanche Wiesen Cook argued that the relationship was in fact romantic, generating national attention. A 2011 essay by Russell Baker reviewing two new Roosevelt biographies in the New York Review of Books ( Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage , by Hazel Rowley , and Eleanor Roosevelt: Transformative First Lady , by Maurine H. Beasley) stated, "That
7245-459: The healthcare system in the U.S.; Laura Bush supported women's rights groups, and encouraged childhood literacy. Michelle Obama became identified with supporting military families and tackling childhood obesity; and Melania Trump used her position to help children, including prevention of cyberbullying and support for those whose lives are affected by drugs. Since 1964, the incumbent and all living former first ladies are honorary members of
7360-485: The latter wrote Alice a comforting letter upon the death of Alice's daughter, Paulina Longworth. Roosevelt and her daughter Anna became estranged after she took over some of her mother's social duties at the White House. The relationship was further strained because Roosevelt desperately wanted to go with her husband to Yalta in February 1945 (two months before FDR's death), but he took Anna instead. A few years later,
7475-516: The letters were anonymously purchased and destroyed, or locked away when she died. Roosevelt was a longtime friend of Carrie Chapman Catt and gave her the Chi Omega award at the White House in 1941. Until middle age, Eleanor Roosevelt exhibited antisemitic tendencies. In a 1918 letter to her mother-in-law, she declared, the "Jew party [was] appalling.... I never wish to hear money, jewels or sables mentioned again." When she became co-owner of
7590-500: The life and work of an outstanding woman in American history." Roosevelt became First Lady of the United States when Franklin was inaugurated on March 4, 1933. Having known all of the twentieth century's previous first ladies, she was seriously depressed at having to assume the role, which had traditionally been restricted to domesticity and hostessing. Her immediate predecessor, Lou Henry Hoover , had ended her feminist activism on becoming first lady, stating her intention to be only
7705-492: The longest-serving first lady of the United States. Through her travels, public engagement, and advocacy, she largely redefined the role of first lady. Roosevelt then served as a United States Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly from 1945 to 1952, and took a leading role in designing the text and gaining international support for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights . In 1948, she
7820-414: The occasion. After flying with Earhart, Roosevelt obtained a student permit but did not further pursue her plans to learn to fly. Franklin was not in favor of his wife becoming a pilot. Nevertheless, the two women communicated frequently throughout their lives. Roosevelt also had a close relationship with Associated Press (AP) reporter Lorena Hickok (1893–1968), who covered her during the last months of
7935-405: The original cottage which was home to Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook , which they sold back to Eleanor in 1947 and a large two-story stuccoed building that housed Val-Kill Industries and which would become Eleanor's home after Franklin's death. It was the only residence that she personally owned. Eleanor Roosevelt often hosted workshops for Encampment for Citizenship here. The larger house
8050-572: The point that the family constructed a cottage at Val-Kill , in which Eleanor and her guests lived when Franklin and the children were away from Hyde Park. Roosevelt herself named the place Val-Kill, loosely translated as "waterfall-stream" from the Dutch language common to the original European settlers of the area. Franklin encouraged his wife to develop this property as a place where she could implement some of her ideas for work with winter jobs for rural workers and women. Each year, when Roosevelt held
8165-405: The political and social life of the United States. The first lady of the United States is the hostess of the White House . Historically, when a president has been unmarried or a widower, he has usually asked a relative to act as White House hostess. While the household always had domestic staff, since the early 20th century, the first lady has been assisted by her event staff, which has grown over
8280-509: The position has been filled by a female relative of the president, such as Jefferson's daughter Martha Jefferson Randolph , Jackson's daughter-in-law Sarah Yorke Jackson and his wife's niece Emily Donelson , Taylor 's daughter Mary Elizabeth Bliss , Benjamin Harrison 's daughter Mary Harrison McKee , Buchanan's niece Harriet Lane , Chester A. Arthur 's sister Mary Arthur McElroy and Cleveland's sister Rose Cleveland . Each of
8395-482: The presidency. During the campaign, the title of First Gentleman of the United States was most frequently suggested for Bill Clinton, although as a former president himself, he might have been called "Mr. President". In addition, state governors' male spouses are typically called the first gentleman of their respective state (for example, Michael Haley was the first gentleman of South Carolina while his wife, Nikki , served as governor). Ultimately, Hillary Clinton lost
8510-447: The presidential campaign and "fell madly in love with her." During this period, Roosevelt wrote daily 10- to 15-page letters to "Hick," who was planning to write a biography of the First Lady. The letters included such endearments as, "I want to put my arms around you & kiss you at the corner of your mouth," and, "I can't kiss you, so I kiss your 'picture' good night and good morning!" At Franklin's 1933 inauguration , Roosevelt wore
8625-406: The property to Eleanor and moved to Connecticut shortly after the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. Val-Kill then became Eleanor Roosevelt's primary residence and the place most associated with her. After her death, Val-Kill was converted into rental units and later sold to developers. A public campaign ensued to save Val-Kill and it was declared a National Historic Site in 1977. It
8740-514: The remainder of Franklin's public career in government, Roosevelt regularly made public appearances on his behalf; and as first lady, while her husband served as president, she significantly reshaped and redefined the role. Roosevelt was, in her time, one of the world's most widely admired and powerful women. Nevertheless, in her early years in the White House she was a controversial first lady for her outspokenness, particularly with respect to her promotion of civil rights for African Americans . She
8855-686: The role and hosted many affairs of state at the national capital (New York and Philadelphia). This socializing became known as the Republican Court and provided elite women with opportunities to play backstage political roles. Both Martha Washington and Abigail Adams were treated as if they were "ladies" of the British royal court. Dolley Madison popularized the first ladyship by engaging in efforts to assist orphans and women, by dressing in elegant fashions and attracting newspaper coverage, and by risking her life to save iconic treasures during
8970-538: The same time that her husband had a rumored relationship with his secretary, Marguerite "Missy" LeHand. Smith writes, "remarkably, both ER and Franklin recognized, accepted, and encouraged the arrangement... Eleanor and Franklin were strong-willed people who cared greatly for each other's happiness but realized their own inability to provide for it." Roosevelt and Miller's relationship is said to have continued until her death in 1962. They are thought to have corresponded daily, but all letters have been lost. According to rumor,
9085-466: The school, Roosevelt was " 'everything' at the school. She was beloved by everybody." Roosevelt wished to continue at Allenswood, but she was summoned home by her grandmother in 1902 to make her social debut . At age 17 in 1902, Roosevelt completed her formal education and returned to the United States; she was presented at a debutante ball at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel on December 14. She
9200-507: The sea all her life. Her mother died from diphtheria on December 7, 1892, and Elliott Jr. died of the same disease the following May. Her father, an alcoholic confined to a sanitarium, died on August 14, 1894, after jumping from a window during a fit of delirium tremens . He survived the fall but died from a seizure. Roosevelt's childhood losses left her prone to depression throughout her life. Her brother Hall later suffered from alcoholism. Before her father died, he implored her to act as
9315-460: The stricken Franklin during the time of his travail. "You have been a rare wife and have borne your heavy burden most bravely," he said, proclaiming her "one of my heroines". This proved a turning point in Eleanor and Sara's long-running struggle, and as Eleanor's public role grew, she increasingly broke from Sara's control. Tensions between Sara and Eleanor over her new political friends rose to
9430-427: The study of the scriptures and devotion." According to popular belief, Dolley Madison was referred to as first lady in 1849 at her funeral in a eulogy delivered by President Zachary Taylor ; however, no written record of this eulogy exists, nor did any of the newspapers of her day refer to her by that title. Sometime after 1849, the title began being used in Washington, D.C., social circles. The first person to have
9545-535: The subsistence program that Roosevelt and her friends imagined, but it did pave the way for larger New Deal initiatives during Franklin's presidential administration. Cook's failing health and pressures from the Great Depression compelled the women to dissolve the partnership in 1938, at which time Roosevelt converted the shop buildings into a cottage at Val-Kill , that eventually became her permanent residence after Franklin died in 1945. Otto Berge acquired
9660-574: The tension between the veterans and the administration, and one of the marchers later commented, "Hoover sent the Army. [President] Roosevelt sent his wife." In 1933 after she became first lady, a new hybrid tea rose was named after her ( Rosa x hybrida "Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt"). In 1937 she began writing her autobiography, all volumes of which were compiled into The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt in 1961 ( Harper & Brothers , ISBN 0-306-80476-X ). The American Youth Congress (AYC)
9775-480: The time believed to be polio. During the illness, through her nursing care, Roosevelt probably saved Franklin from death. His legs remained permanently paralyzed. When the extent of his disability became clear, Roosevelt fought a protracted battle with her mother-in-law over his future, persuading him to stay in politics despite Sara's urgings that he retire and become a country gentleman. Franklin's attending physician, Dr. William Keen, commended Roosevelt's devotion to
9890-417: The title applied to her while she was actually holding the office was Harriet Lane , the niece of James Buchanan ; Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper used the phrase to describe her in an 1860 article about her duties as White House hostess. Another of the earliest known written examples comes from a November 3, 1863, diary entry of William Howard Russell , in which he referred to gossip about "the First Lady in
10005-399: The title was not in general use until much later, Martha Washington , the wife of George Washington , the first U.S. president (1789–1797), is the first First Lady of the United States. During her lifetime, she was often referred to as "Lady Washington". Since the 1900s, the role of first lady has changed considerably. It has come to include involvement in political campaigns, management of
10120-453: The two were able to reconcile and cooperate on numerous projects. Anna took care of her mother when she was terminally ill in 1962. Roosevelt's son Elliott authored numerous books, including a mystery series in which his mother was the detective. However, these murder mysteries were researched and written by William Harrington. They continued until Harrington's death in 2000, ten years after Elliott's death. With James Brough, Elliott also wrote
10235-449: The union and made him promise that the engagement would not be officially announced for a year. "I know what pain I must have caused you," he wrote to his mother of his decision. However, he added, "I know my own mind, and known it for a long time, and know that I could never think otherwise." Sara took her son on a Caribbean cruise in 1904, hoping that a separation would squelch the romance, but Franklin remained determined. The wedding date
10350-476: The union's goals: a 48-hour workweek, minimum wage , and the abolition of child labor . Throughout the 1920s, Roosevelt became increasingly influential as a leader in the New York State Democratic Party while Franklin used her contacts among Democratic women to strengthen his standing with them, winning their committed support for the future. In 1924, she campaigned for Democrat Alfred E. Smith in his successful re-election bid as governor of New York State against
10465-530: The ways that different women have shaped the role to make their own contributions to the presidential administrations and the nation. The exhibition features 26 dresses and more than 160 other objects, ranging from those of Martha Washington to Michelle Obama , and includes White House china , personal possessions and other objects from the Smithsonian's unique collection of first ladies' materials. Some first ladies have garnered attention for their dress and style. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis , for instance, became
10580-557: The years to include communications, personal, and program staff. Her office is now known as the Office of the First Lady and is headquartered in the East Wing of the White House . Jill Biden has served as the first lady of the United States since 2021, being the wife of the 46th president, Joe Biden . Jill Biden is also one of twelve second ladies to have gone on to become first ladies during their spouses' terms as president. While
10695-510: Was 44 years old when she met Miller, 32, in 1929. He became her friend as well as her official escort, teaching her different sports, such as diving and riding, and coached her in tennis. Biographer Blanche Wiesen Cook writes that Miller was Roosevelt's "first romantic involvement" in her middle years. Hazel Rowley concludes, "There is no doubt that Eleanor was in love with Earl for a time ... But they are most unlikely to have had an 'affair'." Roosevelt's friendship with Miller occurred at
10810-644: Was a physical component to the relationship, while Hickok biographer Doris Faber has argued that the insinuative phrases have misled historians. Doris Kearns Goodwin stated in her 1994 Pulitzer Prize –winning account of the Roosevelts that "whether Hick and Eleanor went beyond kisses and hugs" could not be determined with certainty. Roosevelt was close friends with several lesbian couples, such as Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman , and Esther Lape and Elizabeth Fisher Read , suggesting that she understood lesbianism; Marie Souvestre, Roosevelt's childhood teacher and
10925-632: Was a strong financial supporter of the family, the liaison was ended officially. After that, both partners started to keep independent agendas, and Eleanor joined the Women's Trade Union League and became active in the New York state Democratic Party . Roosevelt helped persuade her husband to stay in politics after he was stricken with a paralytic illness in 1921, which cost him the normal use of his legs, and she began giving speeches and appearing at campaign events in his place. Following Franklin's election as governor of New York in 1928, and throughout
11040-545: Was active with the New York Junior League shortly after its founding, teaching dancing and calisthenics in the East Side slums. The organization had been brought to Roosevelt's attention by her friend, organization founder Mary Harriman , and a male relative who criticized the group for "drawing young women into public activity". Roosevelt was a lifelong Episcopalian , regularly attended services, and
11155-483: Was also the first first lady to write a monthly magazine column and to host a weekly radio show. In the first year of her husband's administration, Roosevelt was determined to match his presidential salary, and she earned $ 75,000 from her lectures and writing, most of which she gave to charity. By 1941, she was receiving lecture fees of $ 1,000, and was made an honorary member of Phi Beta Kappa at one of her lectures to celebrate her achievements. Roosevelt maintained
11270-560: Was an "ordeal to be borne". She also considered herself ill-suited to motherhood, later writing, "It did not come naturally to me to understand little children or to enjoy them". In September 1918, Roosevelt was unpacking one of Franklin's suitcases when she discovered a bundle of love letters to him from her social secretary, Lucy Mercer . He had been contemplating leaving his wife for Mercer. However, following pressure from his political advisor, Louis Howe , and from his mother, who threatened to disinherit Franklin if he followed through with
11385-477: Was applied to her in an 1838 newspaper article that appeared in the St. Johnsbury Caledonian , the author, " Mrs. Sigourney ", discusses how Martha Washington had not changed, even after her husband George became president. She wrote that "The first lady of the nation still preserved the habits of early life. Indulging in no indolence, she left the pillow at dawn, and after breakfast, retired to her chamber for an hour for
11500-500: Was born on October 11, 1884, in Manhattan , New York City, to socialites Anna Rebecca Hall and Elliott Roosevelt . From an early age she preferred to be called by her middle name, Eleanor. Through her father, she was a niece of President Theodore Roosevelt . Through her mother, she was a niece of tennis champions Valentine Gill "Vallie" Hall III and Edward Ludlow Hall . Her mother nicknamed her "Granny" because she acted in such
11615-402: Was converted into four rental units after Eleanor's death in 1962, and in 1970 the land was purchased by a private company for development purposes. Public reaction to this sale developed into a preservation campaign and the possibility of making the site a national memorial. In May 1977, Val-Kill was designated the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site by an Act of Congress, "to commemorate for
11730-585: Was formed in 1935 to advocate for youth rights in U.S. politics, and it was responsible for introducing the American Youth Bill of Rights to the U.S. Congress. Roosevelt's relationship with the AYC eventually led to the formation of the National Youth Administration , a New Deal agency in the United States, founded in 1935, that focused on providing work and education for Americans between the ages of 16 and 25. The NYA
11845-533: Was given a $ 75,000 grant and named one of 12 sites showcased in Restore America: A Salute to Preservation , a partnership between SAT, the National Trust and HGTV . The site is managed by the National Park Service in conjunction with the adjacent Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site and nearby Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site . The NPS continues to partner with SAT and
11960-456: Was given a standing ovation by the assembly upon their adoption of the declaration. President Harry S. Truman later called her the "First Lady of the World" in tribute to her human rights achievements. Roosevelt was a member of the prominent and wealthy American Roosevelt and Livingston families and a niece of President Theodore Roosevelt . She had an unhappy childhood, having suffered
12075-464: Was headed by Aubrey Willis Williams , a prominent liberal from Alabama who was close to Roosevelt and Harry Hopkins . Speaking of the NYA in the 1930s, Roosevelt expressed her concern about ageism, stating that "I live in real terror when I think we may be losing this generation. We have got to bring these young people into the active life of the community and make them feel that they are necessary." In 1939
12190-425: Was later given her own "coming out party". She said of her debut in a public discussion once, "It was simply awful. It was a beautiful party, of course, but I was so unhappy, because a girl who comes out is so utterly miserable if she does not know all the young people. Of course I had been so long abroad that I had lost touch with all the girls I used to know in New York. I was miserable through all that." Roosevelt
12305-460: Was only six years older than Eleanor and the two grew up together in the home of Maude's mother, Eleanor's grandmother. Their relationship was more like sisters than aunt and niece. After Maude divorced her first husband, the champion polo player Lawrence Waterbury , in 1912, she married the playwright and novelist David Gray in 1914 in a small ceremony attended only by Eleanor and the Roosevelt family lawyer, John M. Hackett . The couple maintained
12420-516: Was part of New York high society called the "swells". On May 19, 1887, the two-year-old Roosevelt was on board the SS Britannic with her father, mother and aunt Tissie, when it collided with White Star Liner SS Celtic . She was lowered into a lifeboat and she and her parents were taken to the Celtic and returned to New York. After this traumatic event, Eleanor was afraid of ships and
12535-572: Was promoting Smith's candidacy for president and Franklin's nomination as the Democratic Party's candidate for governor of New York, succeeding Smith. Although Smith lost the presidential race, Franklin won and the Roosevelts moved into the governor's mansion in Albany , New York. During Franklin's term as governor, Roosevelt traveled widely in the state to make speeches and inspect state facilities on his behalf, reporting her findings to him at
12650-632: Was proud of his many academic accomplishments, which included a master's degree in engineering from Harvard . After the deaths of her parents, Roosevelt was raised in the household of her maternal grandmother, Mary Livingston Ludlow Hall of the Livingston family in Tivoli, New York . As a child, she was insecure and starved for affection, and considered herself the "ugly duckling". However, Roosevelt wrote at 14 that one's prospects in life were not totally dependent on physical beauty: "no matter how plain
12765-568: Was ranked ninth in the top ten of Gallup's List of Most Widely Admired People of the 20th Century , and was found to rank as the most admired woman in thirteen different years between 1948 and 1961 in Gallup's annual most admired woman poll . Periodic surveys conducted by the Siena College Research Institute have consistently seen historians assess Roosevelt as the greatest American first lady. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
12880-561: Was set to accommodate President Theodore Roosevelt, who was scheduled to be in New York City for the St. Patrick's Day parade, and who agreed to give the bride away. The couple were married on March 17, 1905, in a wedding officiated by Endicott Peabody , the groom's headmaster at Groton School . Her cousin Corinne Douglas Robinson was a bridesmaid. The marriage took place in New York City. Theodore Roosevelt's attendance at
12995-549: Was the Democratic Party nominee for president in the 2016 election , but lost to Donald Trump . The Office of the First Lady of the United States is accountable to the first lady for her to carry out her duties as hostess of the White House, and is also in charge of all social and ceremonial events of the White House. The first lady has her own staff that includes a chief of staff, press secretary, White House social secretary , and chief floral designer . The Office of
13110-408: Was the first presidential spouse to hold regular press conferences, write a daily newspaper column, write a monthly magazine column, host a weekly radio show, and speak at a national party convention. On a few occasions, she publicly disagreed with her husband's policies. She launched an experimental community at Arthurdale, West Virginia , for the families of unemployed miners, later widely regarded as
13225-616: Was very familiar with the New Testament . Dr. Harold Ivan Smith states that she, "was very public about her faith. In hundreds of "My Day" and "If You Ask Me" columns, she addressed issues of faith, prayer and the Bible." In the summer of 1902, Roosevelt encountered her father's fifth cousin , Franklin Delano Roosevelt, on a train to Tivoli, New York . The two began a secret correspondence and romance, and became engaged on November 22, 1903. Franklin's mother, Sara Ann Delano , opposed
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