Anna Eleanor Roosevelt is noted as one of the most influential women of the early to mid 20th century. She was an activist, diplomat, and political figure. She was also the longest-serving first lady of the United States during the 4 term presidency of her husband, Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, Roosevelt made a name for herself beyond just being known as the longest-serving first lady.
Born on October 11, 1884, in New York, New York, she grew up in a wealthy family. Unfortunately, by the age of 15, both of her parents, Elliott Roosevelt and Anna Hall, and younger brother, Elliott Jr., had passed away. After the passing, she went to live with her grandmother, Valentine Gill Hall, in Tivoli, New York. While living in Tivoli, she was educated by private tutors until eventually she was sent to Allenswood, a school for girls in England. At Allenswood, the headmistress, Mademoiselle Marie Souveste, formed a bond with Roosevelt and greatly influenced her thinking and education. Roosevelt returned to New York when she was 18 and eventually began involving herself in social work, joined the New York Junior League (an organization working to advance children’s social-emotional learning), and taught at the Rivington Street Settlement House. In March of 1905, she then married her fifth cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Roosevelt redefined the role of first lady, using her platform to actively promote gender equality. She held women-only press conferences throughout her tenure, ensuring that female journalists—who were often excluded from male-dominated White House briefings—had access to government affairs (Eleanor Roosevelt’s Press Conferences). By doing so, she helped women establish themselves in political reporting, a field largely dominated by men at the time. This significantly impacted the role of women in media and press for the rest of the 20th century.
Beyond the press, Roosevelt vocally advocate for working women in general. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, she pushed for government programs that provided women with job opportunities, fair wages, and improved working conditions. She supported Frances Perkins, the first female U.S. Secretary of Labor, and was instrumental in backing New Deal policies that benefited women, such as the Social Security Act and workplace reforms. She also fought for the inclusion of women in the Civilian Conservation Corps and other relief programs.
Furthermore, her profound influence extended beyond the gates of the White House. After Franklin D. Roosevelt’s passing in 1945, she became the U.S. delegate to the United Nations and played a vital role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (Women Who Shaped the Universal Declaration). She ensured that the language in the declaration emphasized equality for all, laying groundwork for the future women’s rights initiatives worldwide. She also chaired President John. F Kennedy’s Commission on the Status of Women, which exposed the widespread discrimination in education, employment, and wages. The commission’s findings directly contributed to the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and set the stage for later second wave feminist movements in the 1960s and 1970s.
Roosevelt’s relentless activism helped pave the way for women in journalism, politics, and the workforce. Her commitment to justice and equality ensured that women’s rights were not just discussed but actively pursued at the highest levels of government. Thanks to Roosevelt’s impact, women worldwide have more rights and freedoms in America today.