Press "Enter" to skip to content

Profile of the Day: Eleanor Roosevelt

Profile of the Day: Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt

On this day in 1884, former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City, New York.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the eldest daughter born to American socialites Elliot Bullock Roosevelt and Anna Rebecca Hall. The niece of President Theodore Roosevelt, Eleanor was a shy child growing up and by the age of ten, she was an orphan. In 1892, her mother died from diphtheria, as did her younger brother just a few months later. On August 14, 1894, her father, who was an alcoholic confined to a sanitarium, died after jumping through a window in a fit of delirium tremens. He survived the fall, but died from a seizure after.

In 1905, Eleanor married her distant cousin and future president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. During her husband’s presidency, Eleanor transformed the role of the First Lady, which had traditionally only involved domestic responsibilities. As First Lady, Roosevelt took an active political role throughout her husband’s presidency. She was the first presidential spouse to hold regular press conferences and worked to enhance the status of working women.

After leaving the White House, Eleanor remained politically active. She continued to advocate for human rights and served as the first chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

She died on November 7, 1962 at the age of 78.

How are you related to Eleanor Roosevelt? Explore her family tree on Geni and share your connection!
 

View Eleanor Roosevelt’s Geni Profile

 

iframe{ border: 1px solid #999; }

Image: Library of Congress

Source: Geni.com

Be First to Comment

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *