Ann Atkins - Eleanor Roosevelts Life of Soul Searching and Self Discovery

ELEANOR ROOSEVELTS LIFE OFSOUL SEARCHING AND SELF DISCOVERY
FromDepression and Betrayal to First Lady of the World

by
Ann Atkins

Smashwords Edition

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Published on Smashwords by:
Flash History Press, LLC
P.O. Box 184
Paoli, PA 19301

Eleanor Roosevelts Life of Soul Searchingand Self Discovery
Copyright 2011 by Ann Atkins

www.AnnAtkins.com

Photos from Franklin D. Roosevelt,Presidential Library and Museum

Cover Design by Lindsey Mottola with ArgusPrinting and Invitation Studio, Wayne, Pennsylvania

Technical support by Amy Kate Amer

Author Photo by Dave Campli CampliPhotography, Malvern, Pennsylvania

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to
Edward J. Atkins, Colonel, USAF (retired)
My husband, my friendthank you
for your gift of love,
endless support and
the thesaurus.
Your dedication to excellence is my standard.

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The art of writing expands past the singularexperience at the keyboard. Keeping a vibrant flow of creativity ispossible because of the rejuvenating love from those around me.

Cory,
Blaine,
Amanda,
the beauty of your lives, your brave and bold spirits
it is my honor to be your mother

Thank youAunt Birdie, who for all my lifehas been
The Listener

Thank youColleen for giving me thebook,
Women Who Run With the Wolves

Thank youAmy Kateyour creative ideasand
technical supportpriceless

Victoria, Josee, Riley, Dawn, Asi andLynnmy pack
of fierce women who will not let me settle for less

Thank youto those who took the time toread
and critique the evolving manuscript:
Pat, Ed, Birdie, Nick, Mom, Colleen,
Vicki, Riley and Emily

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PART ONE
A BITTER BEGINNING

PART TWO
AWAKENING

PART THREE
POLITICAL, PUBLIC & PERSONAL STORMS

PART FOUR
LIFE AFTER DEATH

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Knowing the context of Eleanors era deepensthe value of her accomplishments.

Through the span of Eleanors life, from1884 - 1962, the laws of science make quantum leaps forward. Shewill read newspaper headlines of an aircraft flying a few hundredfeet, to jets breaking the sound barrier and man going to outerspace. Its the end of boiling water on a wood stove and thebeginning of popcorn in the microwave. And the science of warexcels as the details of strapping a gas mask on a war horse isexchanged for a diagram of strapping an atomic bomb on anairplane.

Liberty and justice for all, is farfrom being realized.

The veterans of the North and South gatherat Gettysburg for the 50 Year Reunion of the Civil War. At thistime it is much easier to plan if the Negroes are notinvited.

Women wont be given the right to vote until1920, which is a glaring irony considering Queen Victoria has beencapable of ruling the whole British Empire from 1837-190164years.

For the young, their lives read likegruesome chapters in a Charles Dickens novel. Two million childrenprovide cheap labor in coal mines, canneries and steel mills. Thereare no laws protecting children, but there are laws to protectanimals.1 In the late 1800s the first recordedsuccessful case to protect an abused child is won by declaring thechild as part of the animal kingdom. It will not be until 1938 whena minimum age and work hours are federally regulated.

Are these the the good old days if lifeexpectancy is a brief forty-five years? Millions die each year ofinfectious diseases and thirty-five thousand die every year inindustrial accidents. There is no workers compensation, nounemployment pay and no insurance. Severance pay is given becausesomething at work got severeda hand or a foot.

In any arena Eleanor fights injustice andperseveres against overwhelming odds and chilling cruelties. LikeWonder Woman in support hose, she will win battles on the local,the national and the global scale. Her life is an example of moralcourage and she becomes internationally known as First Lady of theWorld.

First, she must survive her childhood.

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Baby Eleanor is born into the ostentatiousdisplay of upper class opulence known as the Gilded Age.

Eleanors mother, Anna Livingston LudlowHall, is the belle of the ball for New York City. Basking inself-assurance, she can thumb her nose at guest lists that includethe Vanderbilts and Astors. Anna also knows that within her lineageis a signer of the Declaration of Independence. This gives herself-esteem a dash of superiority. Now she just needs ahusband.

Eleanors future father, Elliott Roosevelt,has a checkered past that would land anyone else in a jail cell,rehab or the morgue. Elliotts excuses include sibling rivalry withhis overachieving brother, the future President Theodore Roosevelt.Avoiding his brothers shadow, Elliott enjoys adventurous huntingtrips in India, China and Ceylon. Health problems are exacerbatedin a struggle with sexual identity, alcohol and shame. His miseryis exposed in his letters to home.2

In 1881, Elliott returns from his latesttrip. He is in New York City and meets Anna. Having these twocharacters in place, the stage is set for a tragic play of whichShakespeare would be proud.

With all the passion and commitment of acharming alcoholic, Elliott writes about Anna, a Sweet Hearted, atrue, loving Earnest Woman....Womanly in all purity, holiness andbeauty, an angel in tolerance, in forgiveness and in faith[sic]3 This list reflects Elliotts romantic ideals, notAnnas character. Anna, equally unrealistic, is flattered with theattention of the most eligible bachelor in New York City.

Like media coverage of movie stars, Anna andElliotts daily affairs are frequently featured in the newspapers.Anna marries Elliott and this couple has the smug security ofknowing they belong.

Eleanor is born, and Anna is disappointedthat her first born child is not a boy. Adding to this frustration,Anna describes her daughter as, a more wrinkled and lessattractive baby than the average.4 As Eleanor grows, itis obvious that her character is as somber as her physicalappearance is plain.

Eleanor, Long Island, New York, 1887

Eleanors habit of waiting quietly in thedoorway, waiting and wanting to be acknowledged, and waiting to beasked in have been deemed shy. Anna intensifies Eleanorsinsecurities by belittling her. Eleanor remembers her mother sayingto any company in the room, Shes such a funny child, soold-fashioned, that we always call her Granny. Eleanor says ofthose times, I wanted to sink through the floor inshame...5

I would sit at the head of her bed andstroke her head. The feeling that I was useful was perhaps thegreatest joy I had experienced.