American History Tellers - First Ladies | Eleanor Roosevelt | 3

Episode Date: July 10, 2024

In 1905, Eleanor Roosevelt married her distant cousin Franklin, beginning a remarkable and complicated union. During her husband’s years as President, from 1933 to 1945, Eleanor became the longest-serving First Lady and she transformed the role, becoming the first presidential spouse to hold regular press conferences and host a weekly radio show. Known for her outspokenness, Eleanor championed her husband’s New Deal policies but also publicly disagreed with him. After FDR’s death, she served on the United Nations General Assembly and helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, cementing her legacy as a powerful advocate for human rights and social justice.Order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting https://wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge new seasons of American History Tellers early and ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Imagine it's a cold November afternoon in New York City, 1921. You're at home on 65th Street and you've just put a kettle on to boil. Two months ago, your husband, a rising New York politician, was stricken by a sudden and debilitating case of polio. His health has stabilized, but he's facing a long and arduous recovery. Doctors fear he may never walk again, which has thrown his promising political future into jeopardy.

You walk over to the kitchen table and pour a cup of tea for your husband's political advisor and family friend, Louis Howe. He's been helping around the clock since the polio diagnosis, and you're both physically and emotionally exhausted as you struggle to grasp the situation. You glance down at today's New York Times in front of Hal. At least the papers haven't found out yet. See? They're still reporting he has pneumonia. We won't be able to hide the truth from them much longer. I saw a few reporters out front when I came in and they asked for an update on his condition. Well, they'll have to wait, I'm afraid. We can't let the world know that the former assistant secretary of the Navy and one-time vice presidential candidate is confined to a wheelchair. The past few years have been a whirlwind, from your husband's failed run for vice president in 1920 to his shocking

illness. So your very grateful Louie has been there for you. You're confident he'll know how to handle the press. We have to control the message. We'll start with a reporter we trust and tell them he had a medical emergency or an attack of some sort, but he's on the road to recovery. But we must not use the word polio. People still think of it as a childhood disease. I know I did before this. They'd never elect a governor who can't walk.

I think it's a good idea that he wants to move up to the family estate at Hyde Park to recover. I agree. He'll be out of view there. He can swim in the pond, get stronger. He's already talking about getting leg braces and teaching himself to walk again. It doesn't help that his mother wants him to give up politics.

Yes, he told me. She wants him to retire and write books. Can you imagine? That would be the death of him. He wouldn't last a month. You let yourself smile for a moment. But then Louis clears his throat, pulling his chair closer. Listen.

I know this has been hard on you two. And on the children. But there's work to be done. And I'm going to need you to take a more active role in the months ahead. You mean more public? I do. And I know you're ready for it. I've seen your speeches to the women's voting groups and the trade union leagues. You're good, and they like you. With some practice and coaching, you could be even better.

He'll need you out there while he's in recovery. You know, Louie is right. Your husband's illness has forced you to confront so many things, including your own political skills. It's been the most challenging few months of your life, but you believe your husband can do great things in politics. And you're starting to think there's a chance for you to make a real difference, too. Must let the audience like the product. It gets them in front of our panel of experts. Gwyneth Paltrow. Anthony Anderson. Tabitha Brown. Tony Hawk.

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I'm your host, Brandon Jinks Jenkins. Follow Criminal Attorney on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. From Wondery, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is American History Tellers. Our history, Your Story. In 1921, Eleanor Roosevelt was faced with one of the greatest challenges of her life after her husband of 16 years, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was diagnosed with polio. Eleanor had been supportive of her husband's political ambitions, but when he became ill, she knew she had to take a more active role or her husband's career would end. Eleanor was no stranger to hardship, having lost both her parents as a child. In 1905, she married Franklin, her distant

cousin, and despite a sometimes rocky marriage, they would go on to become a powerful political couple. As president, Franklin served four terms in office from 1933 to 1945, making Eleanor the longest-serving First Lady, a role she transformed from hostess to that of social activist and global spokesperson. It was Eleanor who was the first presidential spouse to hold regular press conferences. She wrote a syndicated newspaper column and lectured widely. Known for her fearless advocacy, Eleanor championed many of her husband's policies, but she also publicly disagreed with him at times. And after FDR's death, Eleanor served as America's delegate to the United Nations General Assembly and helped draft the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights. She is remembered today as one of the world's most widely admired women. In this series, we'll explore the groundbreaking achievements of five of America's most remarkable First Ladies, from their origins to the moment they courageously stepped into the role and beyond. If you'd like to learn more about other notable First Ladies, you can read about them in a new book inspired by this podcast. The Hidden History of the White House takes readers into the iconic seat of American presidential power, revealing 15 behind-the-scenes moments that changed the course of history, like First Lady Dolly Madison's efforts to save priceless American artifacts from the British as they burned down the White House in 1814,

or Edith Wilson's decision to keep her husband Woodrow's stroke a secret and assume his presidential duties. The Hidden History of the White House is available now from William Morrow, wherever you get your books. Follow the link in the show notes to learn more. This is Episode 3 of our five-part series on First Ladies, Eleanor Roosevelt. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884, into a wealthy New York family. She was the first child of Anna Hall and Elliot Roosevelt,

and spent her childhood bouncing between the family's large home in Manhattan and country estates on Long Island and in the Hudson River Valley. Her mother was young and beautiful, but emotionally distant. She often seemed ashamed of her daughter's serious demeanor and plain looks. She called her daughter Granny, and Eleanor grew up feeling insecure, considering herself the ugly duckling of the family, which grew to include two younger brothers, Hall and Elliot. Her father, the elder Elliot, had inherited a fortune from his father, a glass importer and banker, and was often away from home, traveling and hunting big game. But when he was home, he was jovial and playful during Eleanor's early years. But during a family trip to Europe, when Eleanor was just six,

he began drinking heavily. Back home, his drinking continued, and he experienced episodes of depression. His marriage with Anna grew strained, and when Eleanor was seven, they separated. Between her father's struggle with alcohol and her mother's disapproval, Eleanor's childhood was deeply unhappy. Eleanor later said of her youth, I was a solemn child, without beauty. I seemed like an old woman, entirely lacking in the spontaneous joy and mirth of youth. Then in late 1892, when Eleanor was eight, her mother died of diphtheria. Six months later, her three-year-old brother Elliot died of scarlet fever, and a year after that, her father attempted suicide by jumping from a sanitarium window. He died the next day. By age 10, Eleanor had become an orphan. She went on to live with her maternal grandmother, Mary Livingston Hall, in Tivoli, New York.

When she turned 15, she was sent to a private girls' school outside London called Allenswood Academy. The headmistress, Mademoiselle Marie Souvest, took a special interest in Eleanor, encouraging her to think for herself. Mademoiselle Souvest had a deep influence on Eleanor, and by the time she returned to New York at 18, she had gained a sense of self-confidence. She felt, as she put it, totally without fear in this new phase of my life. And for the rest of her years, Eleanor would keep Marie Suvest's photograph on her desk. Back in New York, despite her family's wealth and the pressures to play the part of socialite, Eleanor chose to devote her time to community service. She volunteered with the Junior League of New York and the Rivington Street Settlement House in New York's Lower East Side, where she

taught calisthenics and dancing to immigrant girls. She also helped the Consumers League investigate working conditions in garment factories and department stores. Then, in the summer of 1902, on a train ride north from New York City, Eleanor ran into Franklin Delano Roosevelt, her fifth cousin once removed, soon to be a junior at Harvard College. Her father had been Franklin's godfather, and as children, the two had occasionally crossed paths at family gatherings. But now that Eleanor was 18, a tall and self-assured debutante, Franklin was smitten. The cousins struck up a secret correspondence that blossomed into romance. Franklin admired Eleanor's keen intelligence and grit. He also had political ambitions and appreciated that his idol, Theodore Roosevelt, was Eleanor's uncle.

So on November 22, 1903, Franklin proposed. After her tragic childhood and adolescence, Eleanor now felt the urge, as she put it, to be part of the stream of life. So she said yes. But their engagement quickly hit an unexpected setback. Imagine it's December 5th, 1903, a brisk Saturday afternoon in New York City. It's been two weeks since you were engaged. You've been courting for months and you're very much in love, but there's a problem. Your future mother-in-law, Sarah Roosevelt, is opposed to the marriage.

So today you're walking through Central Park with her at your side. You're hoping to win her affection. You'll need her as an ally if you're going to spend a life with her complicated, ambitious, and pampered only son. You look to your hopeful mother-in-law. Thank you for agreeing to see me. I know this has come as a bit of a shock. I must admit I was quite startled when Franklin told me at Thanksgiving. It all feels very sudden. You're both so young. You're only 19, dear. No need to rush into this. I love Franklin so much. We were hoping to get married next summer, or maybe in the fall. With your blessing, of course.

Next summer? Oh no, I'm afraid that's out of the question. Franklin won't graduate from Harvard until June. And I'll be taking him and a friend on a cruise in the Caribbean in February. With all that going on, there's no time to plan a wedding. Franklin told you about the cruise his mother had arranged, and you assumed it was a scheme to keep the two of you apart, maybe even introduce Franklin to other eligible women. But you won't be pushed aside so easily. Well, our wedding will have

to be planned at some point. And I hope you know that once we're married, you'll have two children who love you instead of one. Thank you, dear. But I must insist that you and Franklin postpone any announcement of your engagement. For a year, at least. That will give him time to finish school and give you both time to make sure you're truly ready. If we agree to wait a year, will you then give him your blessing? I suppose so. But there must be some provisions. What kind of provisions?

Well, I think it would be best if you and Franklin weren't seen in public together. We wouldn't want people to make assumptions. We're engaged and we're in love. We intend to see each other as often as possible. How do you suggest we act around each other in public? Well, perhaps you can feign indifference. Keep things nonchalant. You feel your anger simmering, but you take a breath and steady yourself. I want you to accept me and love me as your daughter. I'll agree to these terms of yours and wait for a year. I can be patient. Thank you, dear. And please, let's keep this discussion between

us ladies. No need to tell Franklin. Your blood is boiling, but you refuse to let her see you lose your temper. So you'll abide by these requests, knowing that she's betting if she can keep you apart for a year, her son will change his mind. You're determined not to let that happen. Despite disapproval from Franklin Roosevelt's mother, the young couple quietly continued their romance, and on March 17, 1905, Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt were married in New York City. Eleanor's uncle, now President Teddy Roosevelt, walked Eleanor down the aisle and later joked with her husband, well, Franklin, there's nothing like keeping the name in the family. The merger of these two branches of the prominent Roosevelt family

was front-page news. After a three-month honeymoon in Europe, the couple settled in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. They moved into a small brick house given to them as a wedding gift by Franklin's mother. Sarah doted on her only son, and despite her initial objection to their union, she soon became a constant presence in Eleanor and Franklin's life. In May of 1906, while Franklin prepared to start law school at Columbia University, Eleanor gave birth to their first child, Anna. Then the next year, in late 1907, she bore a son, James. Wanting to be closer to her grandchildren, Franklin's mother, Sarah, built side-by-side townhouses and insisted on living next to her son and daughter-in-law. She even installed doors that connected their two adjacent homes so that she might help raise

her grandchildren. Eleanor's third child, Franklin, was born in 1909, but died of influenza seven months later. Three more children would follow, Elliot, Franklin Jr., and John. But despite this growing family, Eleanor would later say she never felt fully at home at the New York townhouse, nor did she embrace motherhood.

Sarah Roosevelt exerted domineering control over the couple's children, and Eleanor would later admit that she allowed this to happen and wasn't a very attentive or loving mother, saying, Franklin's children were more my mother-in-law's children than they were mine. But Eleanor did enjoy escaping to her mother-in-law's other homes, one in Hyde Park, north of New York City, and a summer home on the rocky Canadian island of Campobello. She also became increasingly interested in her husband's new political career, because by 1910, Franklin had decided he wasn't interested in practicing law

and opted to pursue politics. Like his wife's uncle, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin's first foray into politics would be the New York state legislature. Unlike Teddy, though, Franklin ran as a Democrat, trying to unseat the incumbent Republican. But Theodore supported Franklin's Democratic bid, and Franklin won the race, becoming a New York state senator. He, Eleanor, and the children moved to the state capital, Albany, and two years later, he was re-elected. And with her mother-in-law staying back in Manhattan, Eleanor became more involved in her children's lives. But politics and family quickly became complicated when during the 1912

presidential election, Franklin supported the Democratic candidate, New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson, who defeated Republican incumbent William Howard Taft and Franklin's own uncle-in-law, Theodore Roosevelt, who ran as a third-party candidate. And when Wilson entered office, he rewarded Franklin for his support, naming him Assistant Secretary of the Navy, a position that Theodore Roosevelt had held 16 years earlier. Then, two years later, in 1914, Franklin ran for the U.S. Senate, but lost. He stayed on as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and would continue in that role throughout World War I. Later that year, Eleanor was pregnant again and needed help around

the house, so she hired a stylish 23-year-old woman named Lucy Mercer as her secretary. Franklin referred to the new employee as the lovely Lucy, and over the next few years, he and Lucy spent more and more time together, and Eleanor came to suspect they were having an affair. In the summer of 1917, Eleanor fired Lucy, who promptly took a job with the U.S. Navy in Washington and was soon working for Franklin. And then, a year later, while unpacking her husband's suitcase, Eleanor found a collection of love letters between Franklin and Lucy. For her, the discovery confirmed her long-running suspicions of her husband's infidelity.

But it also sparked fears that her marriage, her family life, and even her husband's political career were doomed. For more than two centuries, the White House has been the stage for some of the most dramatic scenes in American history. Inspired by the hit podcast American History Tellers, Wondery and William Morrow present the new book, The Hidden History of the White House. Each chapter will bring you inside the fierce power struggles, the world-altering decisions, and shocking scandals that have shaped our nation. You'll be there when the very foundations of the White House are laid in 1792, and you'll watch as the British burn it down in 1814.

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Listen to the Pitcairn Trials exclusively on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. In the fall of 1918, Eleanor Roosevelt's marriage was on the rocks. After discovering private letters between her husband, Franklin Roosevelt, and his lover, Lucy Mercer, Eleanor told her husband that if he wanted to separate, she wouldn't stop him. But Eleanor's mother-in-law, Sarah Roosevelt, insisted that the couple stay married, realizing that her son's reputation and political career

might not survive the scandal of a divorce. And Sarah was not afraid to wield the family purse strings, threatening to cut off her son if he didn't end the affair with Lucy Mercer. Franklin agreed, but from that point on, Franklin and Eleanor's marriage was never the same. But the new state of the relationship allowed Eleanor to throw herself further into social causes and politics. During World War I, she had volunteered for the American Red Cross, knitted socks and scarves for servicemen, and worked long hours in an army kitchen. Then, as the war came to an end, she continued to visit wounded veterans in the hospital,

bringing them candy, flowers, or newspapers. She later referred to this period as my emancipation and my education. Years earlier, she had taken a neutral stance on the issue of women's suffrage. She had been busy raising her children and didn't feel strongly about the right to vote, but now she committed herself to women's issues. She helped raise funds for the Women's Trade Union League, joined the League of Women Voters, and volunteered at the International Congress of Working Women in support of women's voting rights.

Women's issues became her political passion, and she was elated when Congress passed the 19th Amendment, finally granting women the right to vote in 1920. In that same year, Franklin's political career accelerated as the newest presidential race had been thrown into turmoil. Eleanor's uncle, Theodore Roosevelt, had expressed interest in returning to the White House but died before campaigning began. Incumbent President Woodrow Wilson was also ill and unlikely to run again. So the Democrats selected Ohio Governor John Cox as their candidate, and Cox chose Franklin as his running mate. At 38 years old, Franklin became the youngest vice presidential

candidate in decades. During the election, Eleanor put aside the hurt she'd felt after Franklin's affair. She also saw the potential to have an impact on issues close to her heart, so she traveled with her husband on the campaign trail, proving a valuable political ally, resonating especially with female voters. Although the Democratic ticket lost, the 1920 campaign introduced Eleanor to Franklin's chain-smoking campaign manager, Louis Howe, whom she once described as the quiet, rather gnome-like little newspaper man from Albany. She came to view Howe as a strategic genius who was indispensable to her husband's ambitions, but unfortunately those ambitions were dealt a harsh blow in the

summer of 1921. Franklin was vacationing at the family's summer home at Campobello when he suddenly experienced severe back pain and then lost the use of his legs. Doctors diagnosed infantile paralysis, or polio, an incurable disease that rarely affected adults. But in Franklin's case, the illness left him mostly paralyzed below the waist, unable to walk or even stand. Eleanor considered Franklin's political future hopeless, and the family assumed his career was over at age 39.

It was inconceivable that the nation could elect to higher office a leader bound to a wheelchair. Even Franklin's mother encouraged him to retire to the country and write a book. But Franklin refused to give up his ambitions and instead began to pursue various rehabilitation regimens. And as he recovered, Eleanor began to envision a path back to politics. Franklin found that the waters at Warm Springs, Georgia, had a positive effect on his polio-stricken legs. He lived there for months at a time and eventually bought the resort. Meanwhile, Eleanor became her husband's proxy on the political stage. Louis Howe encouraged her in the role, and together they

concealed Franklin's illness, initially telling reporters it was a severe cold and later pneumonia. They also prevented any photographs to be taken of Franklin on crutches, and stage managed his disappearance from public view. For much of her life, Eleanor had struggled with feelings of insecurity. She once said, I have no talents, no experience, no training for anything. But through the mid-1920s, Eleanor became more confident and more politically active. She gave speeches to women's groups and how coached her on how to hold an audience's attention. He told her,

You need to give them facts, facts, facts. She toured tirelessly on behalf of the women's division of the New York State Democratic Committee and worked on the gubernatorial campaigns of New York Governor Alfred Smith. Eleanor was attracted to Smith's progressive views on women as the intellectual equals of men, and in 1928 she served on Smith's presidential campaign and as chair of his Women's Advisory Committee. The Democratic National Committee then appointed her director of its Bureau of Women's Activities. As her political influence grew, Eleanor also became friends with several politically active lesbian couples. These included Marion Dickerman, a teacher and World War I nurse

who in 1919 became the first woman to run for the New York State Legislature. Dickerman lost, but remained active in Democratic affairs, along with her partner, Nancy Cook, also a teacher. Eleanor worked closely with Dickerman and Cook, raising funds and speaking to women's groups. Eleanor also offered the couple a stone cottage called Valkill on her mother-in-law's Hyde Park estate, and there the three women developed Val Kil Industries, a factory where local families could earn money making furniture and crafts. Eleanor also helped purchase the Todd Hunter School for Girls in Manhattan, where Dickerman and Cook taught, and where Eleanor herself taught history two days a week. Then, as the presidential election of 1928 neared, New York Governor Alfred Smith solicited

Eleanor's help in convincing Franklin to replace him as governor. With Eleanor's encouragement, Franklin agreed to run. Then, at the Democratic National Convention, Franklin gave a rousing speech for Smith's nomination for president. Franklin had to stand on crutches, with his legs in braces, one of the first times the public had seen him since his polio diagnosis. But despite the shock of his physical condition, the crowd at the convention rose to its feet and cheered. Then, in November of 1928, Franklin won his own race to become New York governor. But Al Smith was defeated in the presidential race by Herbert Hoover,

and the loss crushed Eleanor. She also had mixed feelings about Franklin's victory. Eleanor had found a calling in politics, in working with Dickerman and Cook, and teaching at the Todd Hunter School. She dreaded now giving up the life she'd created, being relegated to the role of governor's wife, tasked with planning teas and dinner parties. Nevertheless, Eleanor moved into the governor's mansion in early 1929, the first time she and her husband lived under the same roof in years. But by now, in most political circles, Eleanor was better known than her husband,

and she found a way to play the role of governor's wife without being shunted to the sidelines, and without giving up her work at Valkill and Todd Hunter. But only three years later, in 1932, Franklin launched his run for president, and once again Eleanor faced the prospect of giving up her personal passions to support her husband. Imagine it's October 30, 1932, a stormy night in upstate New York. You're a reporter with the Associated Press covering Franklin Roosevelt, the Democratic candidate for the upcoming presidential election. Over the years, you faced your share of snide comments from male journalists and editors who considered you just a girl reporter. But you've since earned their respect as a tough journalist who can smoke and drink with the best of them. Today, your

editors have asked you to spend more time getting to know the woman who might soon become the first lady. So you've been traveling with Eleanor Roosevelt. You're leaving a train station in Potsdam on an overnight train back to New York City. But the sleeping berths are full, so Eleanor invites you to spend the night in her berth. As you squeeze into the small sleeping room, Eleanor looks around and then turns to you. Why don't you take the bed, dear? I can sleep on this small couch over here. Are you sure? Quite sure. I'm longer than you are anyway. I wouldn't fit in that little bed. Thank you. Although, to be honest, I'm not very tired yet. Neither am I. Perhaps we can chat a bit? You've known Eleanor for years, having covered her husband during his time as governor of New York.

She's always been cordial, but a bit aloof. So you were surprised by the invitation to share an overnight train ride. And now that the two of you are alone in this berth, you sense her relaxing more. I suppose you know by now that my editors want me to write about you. I do. And you must know by now that I don't like to be interviewed. Plus, I'm sorry to say you won't have much to write about. I don't do anything interesting. That's hardly true.

I just spent an entire day with you, and I could barely keep up. You're a whirlwind. I can't remember another candidate's wife who made as much news on the campaign trail as her husband. Frankly, I've always been a bit wary of you. Franklin once said, you better watch out for that one. She's smart. He's always teasing me for being the only female political reporter. I've read all your stories. I think you're the best political reporter out there. Thank you. And since I seem to be on your good side for the moment,

I've been meaning to ask, have you thought much about the realities of possibly becoming First Lady? If you must know, I'm not sure. Being a governor's wife at the State House is one thing. I still have some freedom. Being First Lady is quite another thing altogether. Eleanor then picks up a book, indicating that the conversation is over. You begin getting ready for bed.

Would it be okay if I wrote about some of what we just discussed? If you like. I trust you. Tonight has been the longest conversation you've had with this fascinating woman, who you realize could become a friend. But you're worried for her. She seems to be dreading the upcoming election, and even more, the prospect of moving to the White House. In 1932, Eleanor Roosevelt became friends with reporter Lorena Hickok, known to her friends as Hick, who had been covering the Roosevelts for four years.

The two women traveled together often, and when they were apart, they exchanged long and intimate letters. Eleanor once wrote, I never enjoyed being with anyone the way I enjoy being with you. So after FDR was elected president in November 1932, Hickok left the Associated Press and moved to Washington to work for the Federal Emergency Relief Administration and to be close to Eleanor. Eleanor had given Hick a small bedroom at the White House, and she would become an informal but influential advisor to the First Lady, including making the suggestion to Eleanor that her weekly press conferences be open only to female reporters and that they cover subjects of special interest and value to the women of the country. These press conferences would become especially important to Eleanor because at the White House, she made it clear she would bring her own personality and passion to the role.

In a letter to a friend, she wrote, I'll just have to go on being myself as much as I can. So while the nation was still in the grip of the Great Depression and as FDR began unveiling his New Deal policies, Eleanor became a vocal advocate for social reforms, especially those concerning women, children, veterans, and minority groups. Throughout the mid-1930s, Eleanor assisted with relief projects for coal miners in West Virginia and with the formation of the National Youth Administration that helped young people access work and education. But she also played the traditional role of hostess as well, welcoming

dignitaries and celebrities. But she used this role to promote civil rights and broke with tradition by inviting African-American guests to the White House. She helped get Mary McLeod Bethune, a black educator and activist, appointed as head of the Division of Negro Affairs. And she facilitated a meeting between FDR and civil rights leader Walter White to discuss federal anti-lynching legislation. But she wanted to bring her message directly to the American people, too. So in 1935, Eleanor began writing a syndicated newspaper column called My Day, which became wildly popular. Eleanor wrote eloquently and prolifically about civil rights, women's rights, current events, and the pressures of living a very public life.

The next year, her husband FDR won re-election in 1936, and then again in 1940, assisted in part by Eleanor's growing popularity. And during World War II, she continued to speak her mind, even if it meant publicly disagreeing with her husband. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, FDR signed Executive Order 9066, leading to the internment of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans, most of them U.S. citizens. Eleanor was stunned and went out of her way to defend their rights. Newspapers questioned her patriotism, but Eleanor warned against the hysteria against Japanese Americans and spoke of the hardships they suffered. And as America continued to wage war in Europe and the Pacific,

in 1944, FDR won an unprecedented fourth term of office, but his health had begun to suffer. On the morning of April 12th, 1945, Eleanor gave what would become the last of her many press conferences as First Lady. She predicted the defeat of Germany and the need for a post-war union of nations. But by that very afternoon, her husband was on his deathbed, and Eleanor faced an uncertain future. I'm Tristan Redman, and as a journalist, I've never believed in ghosts. But when I discovered that my wife's great-grandmother was murdered in the house next door to where I grew up, I started wondering about the inexplicable things that happened

in my childhood bedroom. When I tried to find out more, I discovered that someone who slept in my room after me, someone I'd never met, was visited by the ghost of a faceless woman. So I started digging into the murder in my wife's family, and I unearthed family secrets nobody could have imagined. Ghost Story won Best Documentary Podcast at the 2024 Ambies, and is a Best True Crime nominee at the British Podcast Awards 2024. Ghost Story is now the first ever Apple Podcast Series Essential. Each month, Apple Podcast editors spotlight one series that has captivated listeners with

masterful storytelling, creative excellence, and a unique creative voice and vision. To recognize Ghost Story being chosen as the first series essential, Wondery has made it ad-free for a limited time, only on Apple Podcasts. If you haven't listened yet, head over to Apple Podcast an audience of potential customers. This is match point, baby. If the audience like the product, pitch them in front of our panel of experts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Anderson, Tabitha Brown, Tony Hawk, Christian Siriano. These panelists are looking for entrepreneurs

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Woo! Buy It Now. Stream free on Freeview and Prime Video. On April 12, 1945, President Franklin Roosevelt was at Warm Springs, Georgia, soaking in his beloved mineral waters when he suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage. He died that afternoon at age 63. His former lover, Lucy Mercer, had come to Warm Springs to visit him and was by his side when he died. Eleanor Roosevelt was still in Washington, D.C., and when she heard, she immediately went

to Vice President Harry Truman to break the news. Truman asked her if there was anything he could do to console her, but Eleanor retorted, Is there anything we can do for you? For you are the one in trouble now. Truman quickly took the oath of office, and as Eleanor prepared to leave the White House after twelve years, she looked back with a mix of pride and sorrow. She felt she had served her husband well, but reflected that FDR might have been happier with a wife who was completely uncritical. That I was never able to be. I think I sometimes acted as a spur, even though the spurring was not always wanted or welcome. On April 20, 1945, less than two weeks after her husband's death, Eleanor left the White House. Writing to her good friend Lorena Hickok, she said, It was a time to start again, under our own momentum, and wonder what we can achieve.

Four months later, in August, Japan surrendered to U.S. forces, ending the fighting in World War II. Eleanor turned her attention to fostering post-war peace and carrying out her vision for a global union of nations. When in 1946, President Harry S. Truman appointed Eleanor as America's delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. She then became the first chair of the UN's Commission on Human Rights and helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which aspired to enshrine the civil rights and freedoms of all human beings. After the devastation of World War II, she and other supporters of the Declaration felt that all nations needed to recognize that humans were born free and equal. And on December 10, 1948, in Paris, France, 48 nations voted in favor of the Declaration.

Eleanor walked quietly into the General Assembly and up to the podium as delegates from nations around the globe rose to their feet and gave her a standing ovation. And when she returned to the United States, Democrats tried to court Eleanor for public office, but she declined. She did help her son, FDR Jr., get elected to Congress in 1949, but she had no interest in running for office herself. Instead, she devoted her formidable influence to fighting hunger and malnutrition across the globe. President Truman called her the First Lady of the World in tribute to her human rights work, and she served on the UN's Commission on Human Rights until 1953, and even afterward continued to advocate for the creation of a special UN agency on food and nutrition. Throughout the 1950s, Eleanor remained active in politics, averaging 150 lectures a year.

She addressed the Democratic National Convention in 1952 and 1956, and she was often rated by Gallup polls as the most admired woman in America. She continued to write her My Day column, which grew in popularity throughout the 1950s. These columns appeared six days a week in scores of newspapers across the United States, reaching four million people a day. Writing like she would to a close friend, Eleanor described places she visited, people she met. She often encouraged readers to follow their consciences and not their fears.

When her opinions became more political, some papers stopped publishing my day, but she refused to back down. In 1958, she criticized the Eisenhower administration for not doing enough on civil rights, including its lack of support for the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education ruling and its failure to submit civil rights legislation to Congress. But her fight for civil rights would be tested when she stood up against the evils of housing segregation. Imagine it's October 20th, 1958. You've been staying at a hotel in New York City

while you and your husband, the actor and singer Harry Belafonte, look for a new apartment for yourselves and your two-year-old son. But you've been shocked at how difficult it's been to find a landlord willing to rent to a mixed-race couple. Tomorrow, Harry is scheduled to discuss the discrimination you faced with the press, but today you're in your hotel room having tea with

your friend, Eleanor Roosevelt, who is bouncing your son in her lap. My, this little man seems six inches bigger than he was when I last held him in Brussels. He's been growing like a weed since we saw you at the World's Fair. All he wants to do is eat. Still no luck with the apartment, it seems. It's unbelievable to me. We tried to buy a co-op apartment. It was listed at $35,000, but when we showed up to view the place, the owner doubled the price. It's terrible.

There are laws against this type of thing, but clearly they're not working. And did Harry tell you about the apartment on Weston Avenue? His publicist rented it for us. There are laws against this type of thing, but clearly they're not working. And did Harry tell you about the apartment on Weston Avenue? His publicist rented it for us. But when we arrived to move things in, the woman saw Harry and realized what was happening. She tried to break the lease. She actually asked us to leave. Shocking.

Just terrible. Maybe he should just buy the whole building. That's exactly what he said. And then he'd invite friends to rent out the apartments. I think that's a wonderful idea. But if it doesn't work, as I've told you, I'm more than happy to let you move into the extra rooms in my townhouse. We appreciate the offer, but Harry says he wants to

fight this on his own. He's been so angry. That's why he scheduled the press conference for tomorrow. Well, if you change your mind, just say the word. I'd be happy to have you as neighbors. Discrimination is so pervasive. I plan to write about this in my next column. That would be wonderful. The Supreme Court desegregated the schools, but clearly there's more work to be done on housing. There's a committee on civil rights here in Manhattan. They've tried to address discrimination in housing,

but perhaps I can encourage them to do more. Eleanor directs her attention back to your son. But behind her cooing and playful smile, you can tell her wheels are turning. Your husband Harry is a popular and admired singer, and his press conference tomorrow will make waves. But Eleanor's column reaches millions of readers every day. You're grateful that she's willing to use her formidable influence to tackle such an important issue. In the late 1950s into the early 1960s,

Eleanor's activism and advocacy work focused increasingly on civil rights issues, including supporting the Civil Rights Movement, anti-segregation efforts, and women's rights. When her friend Julie Robinson and her husband, the singer Harry Belafonte, were denied housing in New York because they were a racially mixed couple, Eleanor stepped in and even offered to house them herself. But by 1960, Eleanor was politically torn. She had initially distrusted Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. She felt he had been soft on McCarthyism and civil rights. But after Kennedy visited her to seek her endorsement, she campaigned for him aggressively. And after JFK's inauguration, Eleanor pressured him to appoint women to top positions in his

administration, just as she had with her husband. And when she felt Kennedy was dragging his feet, she gave him a detailed three-page list of women and the positions for which they were qualified. Upon receiving the list, JFK soon appointed Eleanor as chair to a new President's Commission on the Status of Women, created to examine policies and positions related to women's employment and civil, economic, and political rights. In February of 1962, Eleanor told readers of her My Day column that the commission's goal was to find how we can best use the potentialities of women. That April, she took the commission's recommendations to Congress and testified in support of legislation guaranteeing equal pay

for women. She planned to present the commission's interim report to Kennedy in August, but a political crisis took priority. American prisoners were still being held in Cuba after the failure of a covert invasion known as the Bay of Pigs. President Kennedy asked Eleanor to negotiate with Cuban leader Fidel Castro for the release of the captured Americans, and she chaired a Tractors for Freedom campaign to help raise funds to send tractors to Cuba in exchange for the prisoners. Eleanor managed to raise millions for the campaign, but Castro refused to release any of the prisoners. And by then, Eleanor had become seriously ill. She had been hit by a car in New York a year earlier and given steroids, which activated a dormant case of tuberculosis that lingered for two years. Her last My Day column appeared on

September 26, 1962. In it, she shared the story of a 15-year-old African-American boy wrongly arrested in a murder investigation. She went on to criticize strong-arm police methods and promote desegregation in schools and housing. Scolding her fellow New Yorkers, she wrote, We are not doing any kind of job that we could hold out as an example to our Southern neighbors. But only six weeks later, Eleanor Roosevelt died on November 7, 1962, exactly 40 years after FDR had been first elected president.

She was buried beside her husband in the Rose Garden at his birthplace at Hyde Park. Eleanor's nearby cottage and retreat at Val Kill was later established by Congress as the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site. During her long tenure in the White House, Eleanor Roosevelt transformed the role of First Lady, using her position to advocate for human rights, civil rights, women's rights, and social justice. But her advocacy only accelerated in the decades after her time as First Lady. As a journalist, activist, diplomat, Democratic Party leader, and public speaker, she left an indelible mark on American society. In one of her newspaper columns,

Eleanor wrote, I have never felt that anything really mattered but the satisfaction of knowing that you stood for the things in which you believed and had done the best you could. Eleanor Roosevelt remains one of the most significant and admired women of the

20th century. From Wondery, this is Episode 3 of our series on the First Ladies for American History Tellers. In the next episode, in 1974, Betty Ford was thrust onto the world stage when her husband, Gerald Ford, became president after Richard Nixon's resignation. She would soon revolutionize the role of First Lady with her frank opinions on controversial topics like feminism, sexuality, and drug use, and with her willingness to share painful and private details of her life with millions of Americans. If you like American History Tellers, you can binge all episodes early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery

app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey. If you'd like to learn more about Eleanor Roosevelt, we recommend Eleanor by David Michaelis, the three-part biography by Blanche Wisencook, and the autobiography of Eleanor by David Michaelis, the three-part biography by Blanche Wisencook, and the autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt. American History Tellers is hosted, edited, and produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship. Audio editing by Christian Paraga. Sound design by Molly Bach. Music by Lindsey Graham. Voice acting by Ace Anderson and Cat Peoples. This episode is written by Neil Thompson, edited by Dorian Marina,

produced by Alita Rozanski. Our production coordinator is Desi Blaylock, managing producer Matt Gant, senior managing producer Ryan Lord, senior producer Andy Herman. Executive producers are Jenny Lauer-Beckman,

Marsha Louis, and Erin O'Flaherty for Wondery. This is the Emergency Broadcast System. for Wondery. with your secret lover, or maybe you're robbing a bank. Based on the real-life false alarm that terrified Hawaii in 2018, Incoming, a brand-new fiction podcast exclusively on Wondery Plus, follows the journey of a variety of characters as they confront the unimaginable. The missiles are coming. What am I supposed to do? Featuring incredible performances from Tracy Letts, Mary Lou Henner, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Paul Edelstein, and many,

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