Eleanor Roosevelt
Overview
Eleanor Roosevelt was the longest-serving first lady in US history, serving from 1933 to 1945. She transformed the role from a ceremonial title into a platform for political action—hosting her own press conferences, writing a nationally syndicated column six days a week, and publicly taking stances on issues like civil rights, labor, and poverty. After her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, died, she continued her public life as a UN delegate, chairing the commission that created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
In 1905, Eleanor married Franklin D. Roosevelt, her fifth cousin once removed, forming a partnership that was both romantic and political, shaping America during the first half of the 20th century. When FDR contracted polio in 1921 and lost the use of his legs, Eleanor supported his political career by traveling across the country on his behalf, forming alliances within the Democratic Party, and reporting back on conditions he could no longer see firsthand—a role she maintained throughout his presidency. For her work in drafting and securing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, President Harry Truman called her the "First Lady of the World."
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