Opponent of Oppression:

The Life and Times of

Eleanor Roosevelt
475 Words in Process Paper

Mahima Kakani
Ji Won Lee
Jacqueline Zhang
Senior Division
Group Website

In considering the theme of leadership and legacy, we discovered Eleanor Roosevelt

while studying the New Deal era. She was a powerful First Lady who had been the eyes and
ears of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. But further research revealed that she was instrumental
in reshaping the lives of Americans, and ultimately, the lives of people worldwide. We are all
involved in our community and we aspire to be influential women, therefore, we were drawn to
this passionate, accomplished woman. It is her legacy that not only inspires us, but has paved the
way for us to accomplish our dreams.
Eleanor Roosevelt lived through momentous changes in the world, and was a central
player in these many crucial time periods as an influential First Lady, a diplomat on the world
stage, a writer, and as a continuous leader for social justice. We came to know Eleanor through
her various memoirs, political writings, and autobiographies which revealed details of her life,
her views, and her character. We also had the opportunity to interview Robin Gerber, an Eleanor
Roosevelt scholar. After reading her book, Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way, we were
interested in hearing more from the author as she provided a different perspective on Mrs.
Roosevelts life. As we delved deeper, we contacted Jeffrey Urbin, head of Education Services at
the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Library whose depth of knowledge regarding the
political partnership of Franklin and Eleanor helped us appreciate her influence on the FDR
presidency and decisions that affected the nation. Initially, we were interested in her years as the
First Lady, but we also transitioned into researching her social and political stances after being
widowed.

Due to much of Eleanors life being in the public view, we were able to access a plethora
of photos, quotes, and newspapers to tell her story. We decided a website was the medium to
capture the life and legacy of this extraordinary leader. We also used this medium to collaborate
online so that we all had a constant connection to the information and our work in order to make
additions and edits.
The challenges Eleanor Roosevelt faced a miserable childhood, difficulties in her
marriage, discrimination as a woman working in a mans world were met with resolve to
rise above. Just as she transformed her own life circumstances, she helped to change the lives of
Americans during the Great Depression and World War II. In the post-war era, Mrs. Roosevelt
extended her work to the international stage as a delegate to the United Nations where her
advocacy for the oppressed became international policy. The indomitable First Lady of the
United States who revolutionized that role went on to revolutionize philosophy and assumptions
about basic freedoms for all.
Eleanor Roosevelt the First Lady of the World is a towering 20 century leader
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whose legacy shaped the 21 century.

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