Eleanor Roosevelt: Contributions in a Time of Need - Essay Example

Eleanor Roosevelt: Contributions in a Time of Need Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most politically active First Ladies in US history. She worked tirelessly advocating for the rights of the poor, minorities, and women. After Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (FDR) death, she continued her politically active career on the international stage. She was instrumental in creating greater public awareness of the plight of the victims of the depression. She fought for greater rights for women and other minority groups. In addition she was a pivotal figure in the solidification of the Allied resolve during World War II. During 40 years of public service Eleanor Roosevelt was able to change America's viewpoint on gender, race, and our integral part of a global society. To begin to understand Eleanor Roosevelt's contribution to America demands that we evaluate her commitment to Franklin Roosevelt and his desire for a more equal America. After serving a short stint with the American Red Cross and volunteer work in Navy hospitals during World War I, FDR was stricken with polio in 1921 ("Eleanor Roosevelt: First lady of the World" (1)). This propelled Eleanor into the life of politics, as she became a staunch supporter of FDR. It has often been said that she was the eyes and ears of FDR as she traveled the country and the world to report to FDR and offer her advice. These initial actions by Ms. Roosevelt laid the groundwork for one of the most influential figures in American history. One of the first, and certainly the most public, activities that Eleanor Roosevelt undertook was advocating for the poor in the face of Hoover's vision of America. She worked to get FDR elected and then changed her focus to the poor and minorities of America. She traveled the country insuring that the programs of the New Deal were being implemented fairly in regards to women and minorities. According to a recent article in Human Quest, a liberal Episcopalian publication, Ms. Roosevelt, "...gathered evidence and pressured the President to sign a series of Executive Orders to stop the discrimination in the New Deal projects. That was effective, and the share of blacks in New Deal work projects expanded" ("Eleanor Roosevelt, 'First Lady of the World'" (2)). This commitment to civil rights would be carried forward and later influence the desegregation of the armed forces under President Truman. Eleanor Roosevelt's political activism expanded to include women's rights and brought about the public's awareness that gender should be treated as a minority component. As a US Delegate to the United Nations she was instrumental in the writing and advocacy for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The Declaration begins with article 1 stating, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood" ("Universal Declaration of Human Rights"). Eleanor campaigned to have the wording of this important passage changed from "all men" to its current form ("Eleanor Roosevelt: The World's First Lady."(3)). This was one of the most influential documents regarding women's rights to date and was vital to securing the future of women's rights (Bunch 488). Eleanor was making her influence felt 60 years ago in the arena of women's rights on the international stage. Her progressive thinking continues to reverberate through the vision where women are afforded equality in the workplace and within the law. Ms. Roosevelt's activities did not end with the most visible minority groups of race and gender but extended themselves to the area of the children most affected by the discrimination. In this area, Eleanor Roosevelt was instrumental in forming the African-American voting bloc as a key component of Democratic politics. Her support of the 'Black Cabinet' assured black politicians and administrators access to the president to push for favorable legislation that affected equal employment for women and blacks and it relationship to children in poverty (Longmore and Goldberger 916). This action catapulted Ms. Roosevelt into the center of Democratic issues and the rights of children as well as the disabled. During the 1930s one of the most neglected minorities was the disabled that were predominately children. By advocating equal rights, she was able to highlight the plight of children that were denied medical care and the guarantee of a decent future. Ms. Roosevelt's activities also extended to the areas of foreign policy as FDR's diplomat in the United State's involvement in World War II. She was an integral part of the foreign policy debate of that era and was a spokesman for the US government in their negotiations with foreign governments. During World War II Ms. Roosevelt helped facilitate numerous relief operations for those most affected by the war. In the face of stiff opposition, she worked to make it easier for the refugees from Nazi Germany to enter the United States ("Questions and Answers"). Without this humanitarian aid through her various relief and rescue operations the end of the war would have brought greater suffering and hardships for the people of Europe. Ms. Roosevelt was one of the greatest advocates of human equality and fairness in American history. Beginning in her early life she immersed herself in philanthropic endeavors such as the Red Cross. She was FDR's biggest supporter and was instrumental in his successful elections and his monumental presidency. Her access to the White House enabled her to push for programs that would assure greater equality and power for minorities, women, and children. Her domestic influence was able to become a part of American foreign policy during World War II as she was given the task of meeting and negotiating the war's end with a politically contentious Europe. Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most important figures in the history of the United States and her attitudes towards equality and non-discrimination continue to resonate in the public's mind. Works Cited Bunch, Charlotte. "Women's Rights as Human Rights: Toward a Re-Vision of Human Rights." Human Rights Quarterly 12.4 (1990): 486-98. JSTOR. 5 Nov. 2007. "Eleanor Roosevelt: First lady of the World."(1) Franklin D Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Franklin D Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. 5 Nov. 2007 . "Eleanor Roosevelt, 'First Lady of the World'."(2) Human Quest 2004: 1-2. 5 Nov. 2007 . "Eleanor Roosevelt: The World's First Lady."(3) Women's Leadership in American History. The City University of New York. 5 Nov. 2007 . Longmore, Paul K., and David Goldberger. "The League of the Physically Handicapped and the Great Depression: A Case Study in the New Disability History." The Journal of American History 87.3 (2000): 888-922. JSTOR. 5 Nov. 2007. "Questions and Answers about Eleanor Roosevelt." The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project. George Washington University. 5 Nov. 2007 . "Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 2005. United Nations. 5 Nov. 2007 . Read More