Thompson - Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt?

Who Was

Eleanor
Roosevelt?

Who Was

Eleanor
Roosevelt?

By Gare Thompson

Illustrated by Elizabeth Wolf

Grosset & Dunlap New York

To my first ladies: Ena, Vaughan, and Chloe and to the Penguin first ladies, Debra and Jane

G.T.

For Sophie and TonyE.W.

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Text copyright 2004 by Gare Thompson. Illustrations copyright 2004 by Elizabeth Wolf. Cover illustration 2004 by Nancy Harrison. All rights reserved. Published by Grosset & Dunlap, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. GROSSET & DUNLAP is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Printed in the U.S.A.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Thompson, Gare.

Who was Eleanor Roosevelt? / by Gare Thompson; illustrated by Elizabeth Wolf.

p. cm.

Summary: A biography of the woman who served as First Lady for the longest time, and who was the first Presidents wife to speak out about important issues of the day, by writing newspapers articles and books, giving radio interviews and speeches, and teaching classes.

ISBN 978-0-448-43510-7 (hardcover) ISBN 978-0-448-43509-1 (pbk.)

1. Roosevelt, Eleanor, 18841962Juvenile literature. 2. Presidents spousesUnited StatesBiographyJuvenile literature. [1. Roosevelt, Eleanor, 18841962. 2. First ladies. 3. WomenBiography.] I. Wolf, Elizabeth, ill. II. Title.

E807.1.R48T47 2003

973.917092dc22

2003014183

ISBN: 978-1-101-63995-5 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11

Contents

Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt?

During the 1930s and early 1940s, Eleanor Roosevelt was our countrys first lady. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who was president of the United States then, was her husband. There have been more than forty first ladies of the United States. What made Eleanor Roosevelt so special? Well, for one thing, Eleanor was first lady longer than anyone else was.

FDR, as he was called, was elected president four times. Eleanor was first lady for twelve yearsfrom 1933 to 1945, when FDR died. Before Eleanor, first ladies gave dinner parties. They gave teas. But they did not speak out on important issues concerning our country. Thats what the president did.

Eleanor Roosevelt, however, worked while she was first lady. She wrote newspaper columns and books. She gave radio interviews and taught classes. She worked hard to help start the United Nations. Eleanor had opinions and shared them with the world. She let people know what she thought about important issues of the time, such as equality for all Americans.

Eleanor Roosevelt paved the way for the first ladies who followed her. Now, most first ladies have a cause. Some have focused on the danger of drugs, others have fought for better schools and libraries, and others for health care.

Eleanor Roosevelt was a smart and brave first lady. And even after she left the White House, Eleanor continued to work. By the time of her death in 1962, Eleanor Roosevelt was known as the First Lady of the World.

Chapter 1
Early Years

It was spring, 1887. Eleanor Roosevelt was almost three years old. She was very excited. She was going to cross the Atlantic Ocean on a great ship, the Britannica . Her father, whom Eleanor adored, had told her about the different countries that the family would visit.

The Britannica left from New York Citys harbor. On the very first day of the voyage, the fog was very thick. Ships coming into the harbor could be heard, but they could not be seen easily. Suddenly the sound of ripping steel filled the air. Another ship had rammed into the Britannica !

Was the Britannica going to sink? Would everyone drown? People onboard panicked.

Eleanors father got her mother, her aunt, Eleanors nurse, and himself into a boat. But where was Eleanor?

She was still on the deck of the ship! As the lifeboat was lowered into the ocean, her father saw her. He pleaded with her to jump into his arms.

Jump, Little Nell, jump. Ill catch you, cried her father.

But Eleanor was too scared. Finally, Eleanor let go of the sailor holding her, and she fell into her fathers waiting arms.

The lifeboat took them safely to shore. And Eleanor was able to calm down. But that terrible day stayed with Eleanor all her life. It took her years to overcome her fear of water and boats. Even so, that fearful little girl became a fearless, famous world traveler.

Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884, in New York City. She was named Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. She was called Eleanor because her mothers name was also Anna. Eleanors mother was known for her great beauty. Her father, Elliott Roosevelt, was a smart, dashing gentleman. They both came from rich and successful families. They could trace their ancestors back over two hundred years.

At the turn of the century, rich and poor people lived very different lives. In New York City, the rich lived in mansions. They had servants who waited on them. The rich all seemed to know one another. They married one another. The men worked as bankers, lawyers, or in a family business. Women did not work. They stayed home, entertained, and visited one another. It was important to dress fashionably and look lovely.

Eleanor knew she did not have her mothers beauty. She thought of herself as an awkward and ugly child. She sensed that her mother was disappointed in her. She felt that she could never please her. Yet Eleanor knew that her father loved her dearly. And she, in turn, wanted to please him and make him proud of her.

NEW YORK CITY TENEMENTS IN THE LATE 1800S AND EARLY 1900S, POOR PEOPLE LIVED IN SMALL, CROWED BUILDINGS CALLED TENEMENTS. WHOLE FAMILIES OFTEN LIVED IN ONE, SMALL ROOM. EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY WORKED, INCLUDING CHILDREN. SOME STARTED WHEN THEY WERE ONLY EIGHT YEARS OLD. VERY FEW POOR CHILDREN WENT TO SCHOOL. MANY OF THE POOR LIVED IN A PART OF NEW YORK CITY CALLED THE LOWER EAST SIDE. THEY WORKED IN FACTORIES, EARNING JUST PENNIES EACH DAY. THE FACTORIES WERE DANGEROUS PLACES WHERE ACCIDENTS HAPPENED. IT WAS A HARD LIFE, BUT ONE THAT MANY PEOPLE FACED WHEN THEY FIRST CAME TO THE UNITED STATES. Next page