Quotes

THE EARLY YEARS

1884  (Oct. 11)

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt is born to Anna (Hall) and Elliott Roosevelt in New York City at 11 West 37th Street

1892 (Dec. 7)

Eleanor’s mother dies.  Eleanor and her brothers (Hall and Elliott) are sent to live with their Grandmother Hall.  Elliott dies several months later.

1894 (Aug. 14)

Eleanor attends Mademoiselle Souvestre’s School “Allenswood” in south Fields, England.

1899-1902

Eleanor volunteers for the Junior League.  She teaches calisthenics and dancing at the Rivington Street Settlement House.  She works with Consumer’s League investigating working conditions in garment factories and department stores.

 1905 (Mar. 17)

Eleanor marries Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  They honeymoon in Venice.

 1906 (May 3)

Eleanor gives birth to Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

 1907 (Dec. 23)

Eleanor gives birth to James.                          

 1909 (Mar. 18)

Eleanor gives birth to the first Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr.  He dies on Nov. 8, 1909.

 1910 (Sept. 23)

Eleanor gives birth to Elliott.

 1914 (Aug. 17)

Eleanor gives birth to Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr.

 1916 (Mar. 13)

Eleanor gives birth to John.

 1917

Eleanor joins the Red Cross canteen.  She becomes involved in organizing the Navy Red Cross.  She is instrumental in initiating improvements at St. Elizabeth/’s Hospital in Washington, D.C.  She helps start occupational therapy work program for servicemen. She persuades the Red Cross to build recreation rooms for servicemen.

1920

Eleanor joins the Board of League of Women Voters.  She is responsible for reports on National Legislation of interest to the League.

1922

Eleanor joins the Women’s Trade Union League.  She meets Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook and begins a close friendship which lasts until 1938.  She becomes the Finance\Chairman of the Women’s Division of the State Democratic Committee, does organizational work and prints a newsletter for them.

1924

Eleanor is put in charge of a committee that presents to the Resolution Committee, planks of interest to women of the National Democratic convention.  She helps organize state campaigns.  The idea of building a cottage at Val-Kill for ER, Nancy Cook, and Marion Dickerman is conceived.

1926

Val-Kill cottage is completed.

1927

Val-Kill Industries, an humanitarian experiment to stem the flow of youth from rural to urban areas by providing employment during the slack farm season was initiated.

1928

Eleanor is involved in organizing support among women in the Presidential Campaign for Al Smith.

THE YEARS AS FIRST LADY

 1933

Eleanor sponsors the “Arthurdal Project.” an experiment in Reedsville, West Virginia, to provide employment for the unemployed miners of Morgantown, WV.  The Federal Government resettles families, provides housing, and tries to attract new industry train and employ the miners.

1936

Eleanor begins writing “MY DAY,” a daily column in the form of a diary of her days at the White House (6 days a week). The column continues until 1962.  Val-Kill Industries is dissolved in May.  Shortly thereafter, ER has the factory building converted into an apartment for herself and her secretary Malvina Thompson.

1938

Eleanor becomes estranged from Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman.

1941-42

Eleanor works in the Office of Civilian Defense in conjunction with Mayor LaGuardia.

1942

Eleanor takes a trip to England to observe the role of British women in the war effort.

1943-44

Eleanor takes trips to the Pacific and Caribbean to visit military and Red Cross installations.

1945 (Apr. 12)

Franklin D. Roosevelt dies in Warm Springs, Georgia.

THE YEARS ALONE

1946 (Apr. 12)

Eleanor turns “Springwood” over to the Federal government.  Val-Kill becomes Eleanor’s permanent home.

1946

Eleanor becomes a member of the United Nations delegation to the organizational meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. 

1946-52

Eleanor is appointed as United States delegate to the United Nations General Assembly.  As Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, Eleanor oversees the writing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

1947

Eleanor buys out Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook’s interest in the Val-Kill  property.

1950-62

Eleanor hosts a television talk show later entitled “Prospects of Mankind.”

1952-62

Eleanor travels to India, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia, Japan, Morocco, Belgium and the USSR to study their standards of living and customs.

1953

Eleanor begins work for the American Association for the United Nations.

1955

Eleanor becomes a delegate to the World Federation of United Nations Associations.

1956

Eleanor actively campaigns for Adlai Stevenson for President.

1959

Eleanor launches a new career as visiting lecturer at Brandeis University.

1960

Eleanor becomes involved in the campaign of John F. Kennedy.

1963

Eleanor becomes a member of the United States delegation to the Special Session of the of the United Nations  General Assembly.  She serves on the Advisory Council of the Peace Corps.  She presides over the commission on the Status of Women.

1962 (Nov 7)

Eleanor dies in New York at the age of 78.  She is buried next to her husband in the Rose Garden in Hyde Park, New York on November 10.

1972 (May 3)

The Eleanor Roosevelt Gallery and the wing in the Franklin Roosevelt Presidential Library in Hyde Park, New York is opened to the public and is dedicated to her memory.

1977 (May 26)

Congress authorizes the establishment of the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (ERVK) preserve her home at Val-Kill.