Eleanor Roosevelt by William Youngs Essay Example

the death of her husband and US president Franklin Roosevelt (James p. 280). In these times, she participated in different platforms of leadership, mobilization, and repatriation of refugees from war grounds. As a First Lady, she also participated in writing, speaking, and conducting public forums.

First, in the 1920s, Eleanor Roosevelt and her husband Franklin settled in New York. During this time, her husband showed interest in politics after establishing as a Democrat in 1910. At the same time, Eleanor Roosevelt had embraced different roles which had showcased her devotion and efforts in public service. She joined the Women’s Trade Union League. Moreover, she established friendship with Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook who later introduced her to Lorena Hickok. Thus, she was able to meet with more influential leaders in her attempts to fight for the women’s voting rights. Many of the organizations which were formed were associated with weaknesses in their functioning and also lack of autonomous. At the same time, most of the organizations formed in this period had weak goals (Glendon p. 32). Therefore, Eleanor Roosevelt advised the organizations on how to set realistic and empowerment-oriented goals. Additionally, she urged them to prioritize on their goals and especially on empowerment and equality. She also advised the organizations on how to delegate tasks among the registered members and the need to increase their sizes extensively.

Secondly, Eleanor Roosevelt participated much in her dedication to the Civil Religion during her time as a First Lady. At this moment, she was able to travel more and widely. Thus, she accessed many places and met many leaders and groups. At the same time, she participated in articles’ writing,

making speeches, travel internationally, and in holding different conferences meant for different purposes. She held the positions of Democratic Women Committee as a Vice President and a Finance Chairman (James p. 291). Additionally, she acted as a member of the Board of the Bi-partisan Women City Club which worked for empowerment of women. Prior to her time as a First Lady, which is in 1926, Eleanor Roosevelt assisted in the establishment of the non-profit organization known as the Van-Kill Industries in Hyde Park in New York.

Failure to breakthrough to administrative roles behind her husband, Eleanor focused her energy to different agendas. She aimed at 25% reduction of then White House budget. At the same time, she acted as the president’s eyes and ears. She also held a conference as the first US First Lady to do so in the history. In 1936-1961, she participated in wring the magazine, “My Day”, where she was able to pass her ideas to many people in the nation (Glendon p. 32). She contributed to writing articles in six days of her week. As a member of the Democratic National Committee, she was able influence more women to take on different influential positions in the New Deal Program.

Lastly, was able to carry out massive works of Civil Religion in her last days as a First Lady and even after the succession of her husband in presidency by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. During this time, Eleanor Roosevelt travelled to different places in the world as she conducted relief projects and observing working and living conditions. She also provided her husband and his government with necessary information based on her findings. The

World War II acted as a pillar which reflected much of Eleanor’s participation in Civil Religion activities. She participated actively in helping the refugees to escape different warring grounds, for example, she helped Jews in escaping from the Nazi-occupied Europe.

In this period, she worked with groups such as: Emergency Rescue Committee and the US Committee for the Care of European Children in performing rescue roles. At the same time, after the Japanese attacked the Pearl Harbor, US entered the World War II. Eleanor helped her husband to keep concentrated with the New Deal program. She participated in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee. “Amended sections include material on Eleanor Roosevelt's relationship with Lorena Hickok, her stance on the Equal Rights Amendment, her contributions to civil rights, her wartime activities, and her postwar liberalism” (Youngs. p. 45)

In this moment, she was able to take part in the repatriation of the refugees from warring places. She was also a member of the Human Rights Commission where she worked for seven years as a delegate. At this time, she was a team of the investigation department which emphasized on investigating the social, political, and economic conditions of people in different places in the world. Eleanor Roosevelt was appointed as the UN Representative. In 1961, she was appointed by President J. F. Kennedy for the UN post and as in the National Advisory Committee of the Peace Corps (James p. 295). These posts enhanced her to work extensively for her nation and the whole world until she died in 1962.

Conclusion

Eleanor Roosevelt is a reflection of how the people who

worked hard in the history for the successes that we see today. During and after the World Wars, many leaders and other individuals tirelessly worked to establish peace back in the world. They also set pillars which have maintained peace from then up to today and into the future. In our Era, there are many leaders who are working hard to make an impact in the world. Hilary Clinton is a reflection of Eleanor Roosevelt’s performance and contribution in leadership. In her time as a First Lady, Hilary was noted to be an accommodative and a bold and a confident leader. At the same time, she was noted for her ambitions in changing the nation.

Today, Hilary is in the frontline for American leadership as a Democratic Party presidential candidate. Her goals and motives have already convinced many citizens that she will definitely make a suitable president for the United States. Some of her goals include: reforming immigration and citizenship, affordable health care, work for equality in pay, impose checks on gun sales and carry of concealed guns, and increase federal minimum wage. Hilary Clinton is also geared to enhancing inclusion of US in settling the Syrian Crisis and in accommodation of the Syrian Refugees in America. She is also determined in promoting reproductive health by addressing issues of abortion and birth control among women. This will increase women’s potential and capacity for expansion and higher performance in their lives. Therefore, Hilary can go ahead to play similar role with Eleanor Roosevelt if she attains presidency.

Works Cited

• James Baker, Eleanor Roosevelt: First Lady, in the Creators of the American Mind series (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1999):
  

270-295.