Anna Eleanor Roosevelt

My hero is Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City on October 11, 1884. She was the daughter of Anna Hall and Elliott Roosevelt. She had a younger brother named Theodore. Eleanor’s mother died in 1892 and she and her brother went to live with Grandmother Hall. Her adored father died only two years later. After her father died she started attending a distinguished school in England where she had her first chance to develop self-confidence among other girls. In her circle of friends there was one of her distant cousins Franklin Delano Roosevelt. They became engaged in 1903 and were married in 1905. Her uncle was the president at the time. Within eleven years Eleanor had six children but one son died in infancy. Franklin served in the state Senate in Albany from 1910 to 1913, and Eleanor started her long career as political helpmate. She learned about Washington and its ways while he served as Assistant She women’s division of the State Democratic Committee to keep Franklin’s interest in politics alive. From 1928 to her husbands death Eleanor dedicated her life to his purposes. When she became First Lady she understood social conditions very well. She never shirked official entertaining; she greeted thousands with great friendliness. She also would hold press conferences, travel to all parts of the country, give lectures and radio broadcasts, and express her opinions. Franklin Roosevelt died in 1945.

Eleanor Roosevelt was first lady in 1933 when her husband (Franklin Roosevelt) became president. She always tried to make the world a better place. For a number of years she was the most relived women of her generation. She loved people of all creeds, all races, and all nations. She was always by her husband’s side especially when he thought his life was coming to an end because he found out that he had polio and was to be crippled the rest of his life. Eleanor’s help and encouragement gave him the will to persevere and he soon became President of the United States. Her entire life was dedicated to others, even in the face of serious setbacks.

Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City. She moved to England at age thirteen. She lived in Washington for almost the rest of her life although she traveled a lot. She lived in the White House for a long time while her husband was President. After her husband died she returned to a cottage at his Hyde Park estate. She was buried in New York City next to her husband.

Eleanor Roosevelt was alive during World War II. During that war she worked at the United Nations to help found UNICEF and establish the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Later, she was named chairman of the Human Rights Commission and, at age 61, she was asked to serve as a delegate to the first meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Eleanor is my hero because she always wanted to help people and she always wanted the world to be happy no matter what it took. I think it is amazing that she put herself out there for her husband; she gave him everything she had. She would pray every night and the first thing she would say was “I pray for my husband that he will keep his strength and not give up.” I think that shows a lot of courage. Eleanor was so different from other women and other First Ladies. None of the other First Ladies would hold press conferences or express their opinions about issues or give lectures, they let their husbands do that stuff all they did was stand there and smile and listen. But not Eleanor, she did what she wanted to. If she wanted to hold a press conference she was going to hold a press conference. That’s what I really like about her, she was different and she was proud of it. Another thing I like about her is she was always friendly even to people who didn’t like her and were mean to her. But she was almost always respected and admired. She would also make humanitarian efforts on behalf of children, the oppressed and the poor. By doing that she earned the love of millions throughout the world. She was, as President Truman said, “First Lady of the World.” She ran a factory for the jobless and she was a major supporter for equal rights when it was a bad time to stand for it. That was something that really made me think that she was really a hero because I think everybody should have equal rights too and if I could I would try and give jobless people jobs. She once was quoted as saying “You get more joy out of the giving to others, and should put a good deal of thought into the happiness you are able to give.” I really like that quote it means a lot to me because I understand that she really gave to others every day of her life. Eleanor Roosevelt is truly a leader of greatness.