The Eleanor Roosevelt Story

The Eleanor Roosevelt Story. This 1965 documentary film is a comprehensive cinematic portrait of the life and work of Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Directed by Richard Kaplan and produced and narrated by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Archibald MacLeish, the film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. It weaves together archival footage, photographs, and recordings of Eleanor Roosevelt herself to chronicle her journey from a shy orphan to a global champion for human rights.

Early life and family background

Born on October 11, 1884, in New York City, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the niece of President Theodore Roosevelt. Her early life was marked by tragedy, with the death of both her parents, Anna Hall Roosevelt and Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt, by the time she was ten. She spent a somber childhood under the strict guardianship of her maternal grandmother, Mary Ludlow Hall, in Tivoli, New York. Educated privately, she was sent to the Allenswood Academy, a finishing school outside London run by the progressive educator Marie Souvestre, who profoundly influenced her intellectual and social development. This formative period instilled in her a sense of confidence and a commitment to social justice that would define her later career.

Marriage and political partnership

In 1905, she married her fifth cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a ceremony where her uncle, President Theodore Roosevelt, gave her away. The marriage forged a powerful political partnership, though it was strained by personal challenges, including Franklin D. Roosevelt's affair with Lucy Mercer and his contraction of polio in 1921. During the 1920s, as her husband convalesced and pursued his political comeback, Eleanor Roosevelt became increasingly active in Democratic Party politics, the League of Women Voters, and the Women's Trade Union League. She played a crucial role in maintaining her husband's connections within the New York political scene, effectively becoming his eyes and ears on social issues and grassroots concerns, which informed the policies of the New Deal.

First Lady of the United States

Upon Franklin D. Roosevelt's inauguration in 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt transformed the role of First Lady. She held the first press conferences for female reporters, wrote a syndicated newspaper column called "My Day," and gave regular radio broadcasts. A tireless advocate, she traveled extensively across the United States, reporting on conditions in Appalachia, visiting Civilian Conservation Corps camps, and championing causes for African Americans, youth, and the poor. During World War II, she served as Assistant Director of the Office of Civilian Defense and toured combat zones, including the South Pacific, to boost troop morale. Her activism often generated controversy but made the Roosevelt administration more accessible and empathetic to the American public.

Human rights advocacy and later career

After the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945, her public career entered its most significant phase. Appointed by President Harry S. Truman, she served as a delegate to the newly formed United Nations. There, she chaired the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and became the driving force behind the drafting and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. She later served as chair of the President's Commission on the Status of Women under President John F. Kennedy. She remained a prolific writer and speaker, supporting the Civil Rights Movement, the nascent State of Israel, and humanitarian efforts worldwide until her death in 1962.

Legacy and historical impact

Eleanor Roosevelt's legacy is that of a transformative humanitarian and diplomat. She is consistently ranked among the most admired figures in Gallup polls and is considered a foundational icon for modern feminism and human rights. The film The Eleanor Roosevelt Story itself stands as an important historical document, preserving her voice and vision for future generations. Her work laid the groundwork for numerous subsequent movements and institutions, and her name is commemorated in the Eleanor Roosevelt College at the University of California, San Diego and the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site at Val-Kill in Hyde Park, New York. Her life continues to inspire activists and leaders around the globe.

Category:1965 documentary films Category:American biographical documentary films Category:Academy Award-winning documentary films