t was a radiant energy-a powerful and disciplined presence-that
set Eleanor Roosevelt apart, and helped make her one of the most
powerful advocates for social justice that the world had ever known.
During her years as First Lady of the United States, from 1933 to
1945, she reshaped what had historically been a passive role. She
provided a voice for the powerless, created the foundations for
the passage of legislation that would end child labor and protect
the rights of workers, and broke down barriers for women in sectors
as diverse as radio broadcasting and politics. Meeting her, one
would not have guessed that she grew up plagued by self-doubt.
She was shy and lonely as a child, longing for the consistent attention
of an alcoholic father who drifted in and out of her life. She yearned
for the acceptance of her mother, who rejected her early in life
for having looks that she deemed too plain. Simply growing up became
a painful journey of rejection and fear. "I was always afraid of
something, of the dark, of displeasing people, of failure. Anything
I accomplished had to be done across a barrier of fear." And still,
in her lifetime, this woman would soar on the back of personal strength
to erect a vision of social justice to change the world.
As First Lady of the United States, she represented the interests
of the least powerful to her husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt,
the 32nd president of the United States. "I have access to the President,"
she would later explain. "And if I don't use that access to do things
that need to be done for people, I would be sorely remiss and irresponsible."...
