American Experience (1988) s12e06 Episode Script

1
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AND BY THE FOLLOWING:
Narrator:
FEW PEOPLE WERE NEUTRAL
ABOUT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT.
Woman:
PEOPLE WERE ABSOLUTELY DRAWN
TO ELEANOR ROOSEVELT.
HER PRESENCE WAS FELT THE MINUTE
SHE CAME INTO THE ROOM.
SHE SPARKLED.
Man:
SHE HAD AN UPCOUNTRY
ARISTOCRATIC ATTITUDE
THAT TURNED A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF.
SHE HAD BUCK TEETH.
( high-pitched voice):
WE HAVE A VISION
Man:
HER VOICE KIND OF QUAVERED
SO THAT IT WAS EASY
TO IMITATE AND TO MOCK.
Narrator:
FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT WAS THE MOS
POWERFUL WOMAN IN AMERICA.
NIECE OF ONE PRESIDEN
AND WIFE OF ANOTHER
ELEANOR WAS SHAPED AND DRIVEN
BY POLITICS.
I'M VERY GLAD TO TELL YOU
ABOUT THE CONDITIONS
Man:
ONE OF THE THINGS
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND
ABOUT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
BECAUSE SHE SEEMS SO LADYLIKE
AND SHE HAS THAT ARISTOCRATIC
VOICE AND THAT MANNER
SHE WAS TOUGH AS NAILS.
IN FACT, SHE WAS ONE OF THE BES
POLITICIANS OF THE 20th CENTURY.
WE MUST HAVE EQUAL CITIZENSHIP
FOR ANYBODY IN OUR COUNTRY.
Narrator:
SHE WAS A VOICE
FOR THOSE WHO OFTEN HAD NONE
BUT HER IDEALISM COS
THOSE CLOSEST TO HER DEARLY.
Man:
SHE WAS A LOVING PERSON.
SHE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
LOVING ENOUGH FOR HER HUSBAND
AND THAT WAS THE TRAGEDY.
SHE WAS TENDER TO HER FRIENDS.
SHE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
TENDER ENOUGH
TO HER SONS AND HER DAUGHTER.
Woman:
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUN
OF CONFLICT AND HURT IN HER LIFE
AND A GREAT SENSE
OF LOSS AND STRUGGLE.
SHE WAS HAPPIES
IN THE PUBLIC ARENA.
SHE WAS LEAST HAPPY
IN HER INTIMATE, PRIVATE LIFE.
Narrator:
FEW PEOPLE KNEW
THE REAL NATURE OF HER MARRIAGE
TO FRANKLIN ROOSEVEL
OR OF THE DEEP FRIENDSHIPS
SHE SHARED WITH OTHERS.
DETERMINED TO LIVE LIFE
ON HER OWN TERMS
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT TRAVELED FAR
FROM HER BEGINNINGS
TO BECOME THE MOST ADMIRED
AND THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL WOMAN
IN AMERICA.
Narrator:
ALL HER LIFE
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT REMEMBERED
AN AFTERNOON FROM HER CHILDHOOD.
SHE WAS WAITING FOR HER FATHER
THE PERSON SHE LOVED
MOST IN THE WORLD.
WHEN HE ARRIVED, SHE RUSHED
INTO THE WARMTH OF HIS ARMS.
ELEANOR DELIGHTED IN HER
FATHER'S LAUGHTER AND TENDERNESS
AND HIS STORIES OF EXOTIC TRAVEL
OF HUNTING IN INDIA,
OF THE BEAUTY OF THE TAJ MAHAL.
ONE DAY, HE PROMISED,
HE WOULD TAKE HER THERE
AND THEY WOULD SEE IT TOGETHER.
HER FATHER
NEVER KEPT HIS PROMISE
BUT ELEANOR TREASURED THE MEMORY
OF IT FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT WAS BORN
ON OCTOBER 11, 1884
INTO ONE OF THE OLDEST AND
WEALTHIEST FAMILIES IN NEW YORK.
SHE WAS A SENSITIVE, TIMID CHILD
AND FROM HER EARLIEST YEARS
ELEANOR KNEW SHE WAS
A DISAPPOINTMENT TO HER MOTHER
ANNA HALL ROOSEVELT.
Woman:
ANNA WOULD LOOK AT ELEANOR
SORT OF COOLLY
AND WORRY THAT SHE WOULD
NEVER BE A BEAUTY
BECAUSE SHE LOOKED SO HOMELY.
AND SHE WOULD EVEN DISCUSS I
IN FRONT OF ELEANOR
WITH HER FRIENDS.
ELEANOR REMEMBERED THAT
THAT SHE HAD THE FEELING FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING: "I'M UGLY."
Narrator:
BEAUTY WAS IMPORTAN
IN THE WORLD
IN WHICH ELEANOR WAS RAISED.
IN NEW YORK HIGH SOCIETY, GIRLS
WERE BROUGHT UP TO FIND HUSBANDS
HAVE A FAMILY
AND PRESIDE OVER A HOUSEHOLD.
THEIR CHIEF ASSE
WAS THEIR LOOKS.
IF THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL, THEIR
LIVES WOULD BE MADE FOR THEM.
Woman:
ANNA COULDN'T IMAGINE
HAVING A CHILD
THAT WASN'T AS VIVACIOUS
AND BEAUTIFUL AS HERSELF.
SHE REALLY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
THIS SHY, AWKWARD, LITTLE PERSON
WHOM SHE CALLED "GRANNY"
TO HER FACE.
Man:
ELEANOR DESPERATELY TRIED
TO PLEASE HER MOTHER
AND SHE DID FIND
ONE WAY TO DO I
WHICH WAS THAT HER MOTHER
WAS SUBJECT TO MIGRAINES
AND ELEANOR WOULD COME AND SI
AND RUB HER BROW FOR HOURS
AND LEARNED FROM THA
THAT THE WAY TO BE LOVED
WAS TO BE USEFUL.
AND I THINK
THAT WAS A LESSON THA
STAYED WITH HER ALL HER LIFE.
Narrator:
TO ELEANOR
IT SEEMED THAT ANNA WAS HAPPIER
WITH HER TWO YOUNGER BROTHERS
ELLIOTT, JR. AND GRACIE HALL.
EVERYTHING WAS DIFFEREN
WITH HER FATHER, ELLIOT
WHO DOTED ON HIS DAUGHTER.
CHARMING AND POPULAR
ELLIOTT WAS THE YOUNGER BROTHER
OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
LIKE MANY MEN OF HIS CLASS,
HE HAD NO REAL PROFESSION.
HE DABBLED IN REAL ESTATE,
PLAYED TENNIS
AND RODE TO HOUNDS.
Woman:
HER FATHER MADE HER
FEEL SPECIAL.
HE CALLED HER HIS "LITTLE NELL"
AND HE MADE HER FEEL LOVED.
HE DIDN'T MAKE HER
FEEL UNATTRACTIVE OR SHY.
SHE FELT VERY SECURE
IN HIS PRESENCE.
Narrator:
BUT ELLIOTT WAS RARELY AT HOME.
HE WAS AN ALCOHOLIC,
IRRESPONSIBLE, OFTEN ERRATIC.
HE WOULD DISAPPEAR ON DRUNKEN
BINGES FOR DAYS AT A TIME.
ANNA TRIED TO SHELTER ELEANOR
FROM HIS WILD BEHAVIOR
BUT BY AUGUST 1892,
THE FAMILY WAS BREAKING APART.
THE ROOSEVELTS FEARED
THAT ELLIOTT WAS SQUANDERING
HIS INHERITANCE
AND RUINING THEIR REPUTATION.
THEY HAD HIM CONFINED
TO A MENTAL INSTITUTION.
JUST FOUR MONTHS LATER
WHEN ELEANOR WAS
BARELY EIGHT YEARS OLD
HER MOTHER DIED SUDDENLY
OF DIPHTHERIA.
ELEANOR FELT STRANGELY UNMOVED.
"ONE FACT WIPED OUT EVERYTHING
ELSE," SHE LATER WROTE.
"MY FATHER WAS BACK,
AND I WOULD SEE HIM SOON."
Man:
ELLIOTT REAPPEARED BRIEFLY AND
SWEPT ELEANOR UP IN HIS ARMS
TOLD HER AGAIN
HOW WONDERFUL SHE WAS
AND THAT EVERYTHING
WAS GOING TO BE ALL RIGH
AND THEY WOULD GO OFF
AND THEY WOULD TAKE CARE
OF HER LITTLE BROTHERS
AND THEY WOULD HAVE A FAMILY
AND SO THAT MEAN
THE WORLD TO HER
AND THAT REALLY GAVE HER
THE HOOK
ON WHICH SHE COULD HANG
HER LIFE.
Narrator:
ELLIOTT WAS CONSIDERED UNFI
TO CARE FOR HIS CHILDREN.
ELEANOR AND HER BROTHERS WERE
SENT TO LIVE WITH ANNA'S MOTHER.
GRANDMOTHER HALL WAS A WIDOW
IN HER EARLY 50s.
SHE LIVED IN NEW YORK CITY
AND SPENT SUMMERS AT TIVOLI
IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.
Lash:
HER GRANDMOTHER
WAS VERY RELIGIOUS
AND TOOK HER RESPONSIBILITY
TOWARDS THE CHILDREN
VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
BUT SHE WAS STERN,
SHE WAS RIGID.
Ward:
HER GRANDMOTHER SPEN
MOST OF HER TIME IN HER ROOM.
THERE WERE THESE TWO DRUNKEN
AND REALLY DANGEROUS UNCLES
ONE OF WHOM USED TO SHOO
AT THE NEIGHBORS
AND EVEN AT THE CHILDREN
WITH A SHOTGUN
FROM THE UPSTAIRS WINDOW.
GRANDMOTHER HALL REALLY IMAGINES
THAT SHE CAN RAISE ELEANOR
AND HER TWO BROTHERS DIFFERENTLY
IF SHE IS VERY STRIC
AND EVERYTHING IS REGIMENTED
BUT DESPITE THE ORDER
AND THE DISCIPLINE
HER GRANDMOTHER DID LOVE HER AND
GAVE HER A SENSE OF FAMILY LOVE.
Narrator:
ELEANOR FOUGHT THE DISCIPLINE
IN SMALL WAYS.
SHE PUT HOT WATER
INTO HER ICY WASH BASIN
STOLE CANDIES FROM THE KITCHEN
AND READ IN SECRET ON SUNDAYS.
SHE LIVED FOR
HER FATHER'S RARE VISITS.
SOMETIMES HE WOULD PROMISE
TO COME, BUT NOT APPEAR.
ONE DAY ELLIOTT TOOK HER OU
AND STOPPED AT HIS CLUB.
SAYING HE WOULD NOT BE LONG,
HE LEFT HER OUTSIDE WAITING.
AND ELEANOR WAITED, AND WAITED
FOR HOURS ON THE STEPS.
Man:
FINALLY, THE DOORMAN SAID
"YOUNG LADY, UH
WHO ARE YOU WAITING FOR?"
AND SHE SAID, "I'M WAITING
FOR MY FATHER, MR. ROOSEVELT."
AND HE RAISED
HIS EYEBROWS, PROBABLY
AND HE SAID,
"WELL, UH YOUNG LADY
"I THINK WE'D BEST GET YOU
A TAXI AND SEND YOU HOME
BECAUSE, UM YOUR FATHER
LEFT QUITE A WHILE AGO."
WHAT HE DIDN'T SAY
IS THAT ELLIOTT ROOSEVEL
HAD BEEN PUT IN A TAXI
DEAD-DRUNK SOME TIME BEFORE.
Eleanor:
SHE WROTE TO HER FATHER
FREQUENTLY
AND SHE JUST WANTED DESPERATELY
TO GO AND LIVE WITH HIM
AND TOLD HIM IN HER LETTERS
PLEASE COULD SHE COME
AND TAKE CARE OF HIM
AND KEEP HOUSE FOR HIM.
SHE WAS NINE YEARS OLD.
Narrator:
ELEANOR SPENT MUCH
OF THE SUMMER OF 1894
AT HER GRANDMOTHER'S
HOME IN TIVOLI.
"AUGUST 13, 1894.
"DARLING LITTLE NELL
"WHAT MUST YOU THINK
OF YOUR FATHER
"WHO HAS NOT WRITTEN
FOR SO LONG?
"I HAVE, AFTER ALL,
BEEN VERY BUSY, QUITE ILL
"AT INTERVALS NOT ABLE
TO MOVE FROM MY BED FOR DAYS.
"HOW IS YOUR PONY
AND THE DOGS AT TIVOLI, TOO?
WITH TENDER AFFECTION,
EVER DEVOTEDLY, YOUR FATHER."
JUST HOURS AFTER
WRITING THIS, ELLIOTT DIED.
WHEN SHE WAS TOLD OF HIS DEATH,
ELEANOR'S ONLY WORDS WERE:
"I DID WANT TO SEE FATHER
ONCE MORE."
AFTER HER FATHER'S DEATH
ELEANOR FOUND COMFOR
IN ROMANTIC NOVELS
AND IN A DREAMWORLD WHERE
HER FATHER WAS STILL ALIVE.
AS SHE WANDERED
THE WOODS AROUND TIVOLI
SHE INVENTED STORIES OF
A LIFE TOGETHER THEY NEVER HAD
WHERE HE WAS THE HERO
AND SHE THE HEROINE.
THE MEMORY OF HER FATHER'S LOVE
AND OF ITS LOSS
WOULD HAUNT ELEANOR
FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.
IN 1899, ELEANOR TURNED 15.
Cook:
THINGS REALLY DO GET WORSE
AT TIVOLI.
HER UNCLES ARE
MORE AND MORE OUT OF CONTROL.
AT SOME POINT,
LOCKS APPEAR ON HER DOOR
PRESUMABLY TO KEEP
HER UNCLE VALLIE
WHO IS AN OUT-OF-CONTROL
ALCOHOLIC, OUT OF HER ROOM.
Ward:
HER GRANDMOTHER THOUGH
IT WOULD BE DANGEROUS
TO HAVE HER IN A HOUSE
SHE COULDN'T CONTROL
WHERE HER OWN GROWN CHILDREN
WERE ACTING SO BIZARRELY.
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS BES
TO GET ELEANOR OUT OF THERE.
Narrator:
GRANDMOTHER HALL DECIDED
TO SEND ELEANOR TO ENGLAND
TO A BOARDING SCHOOL
JUST OUTSIDE OF LONDON
CALLED ALLENSWOOD.
ALLENSWOOD WAS RUN
BY A CHARISMATIC FRENCHWOMAN
IN HER LATE 60s
MARIE SOUVESTRE.
SOUVESTRE WAS FIERCELY COMMITTED
TO SOCIAL AND POLITICAL JUSTICE.
UNDER HER INFLUENCE
GIRLS RECEIVED
A PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION
AND WERE TAUGH
TO BE INDEPENDEN
AND POLITICALLY AWARE.
Gibson:
SUDDENLY, THE IMPORTANT THINGS
WERE NOT THE SOCIAL THINGS.
SHE WAS WITH PEOPLE
WHO VALUED HER FRIENDSHIP
HER LOYALTY, HER INTELLECT.
EVERYBODY LIKED HER
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO
A MEAN STREAK ABOUT HER.
SHE WAS LOYAL.
SHE ALWAYS DID
WHAT SHE SAID SHE WOULD DO.
Narrator:
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE,
ELEANOR BELONGED.
GIRLS CAME TO HER FOR COMFOR
WHEN THEY WERE HOMESICK
OR NEEDED ADVICE.
ON WEEKENDS, THEY BOUGH
BUNCHES OF FLOWERS
FOR GIRLS THEY HAD CRUSHES ON
AND ELEANOR'S ROOM WAS FILLED
WITH POSIES AND GIFTS.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL
SHE BECAME THE FAVORITE
OF MADEMOISELLE SOUVESTRE.
Lash:
MADEMOISELLE SOUVESTRE
SAW IMMEDIATELY
THAT HERE WAS A VERY
SPECIAL CHILD YOUNG WOMAN
THAT SHE WAS, IN SOME WAYS,
MATURE BEYOND HER YEARS
BUT WASN'T VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE
ABOUT A GREAT MANY THINGS
BUT THERE WAS
THIS THIRST FOR LEARNING.
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS ABSOLUTELY
TAKEN BY MADEMOISELLE SOUVESTRE
BECAUSE SHE SAW
THIS ELEGANT, BRILLIANT WOMAN
WHO WAS INTERESTED IN HER
AND WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY
AND SHE BLOSSOMED
AT ALLENSWOOD.
SHE BECAME THE BEGINNINGS
OF THE WOMAN THAT SHE WOULD
BECOME LATER IN LIFE.
Narrator:
DURING SCHOOL VACATIONS
SOUVESTRE TOOK ELEANOR
TRAVELING ON THE CONTINENT.
IN PARIS, SHE HELPED ORDER
HER FIRST FASHIONABLE CLOTHES.
SOUVESTRE ENCOURAGED HER
TO VISIT MUSEUMS BY HERSELF
AND TO ADJUST THEIR ITINERARY
TO SUIT THEIR WHIMS.
"NEVER AGAIN," ELEANOR WROTE
"WOULD I BE THE RIGID
LITTLE PERSON I HAD BEEN."
IN 1902, AFTER THREE YEARS
AT ALLENSWOOD
ELEANOR RETURNED TO NEW YORK.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT WAS NOW THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
BOISTEROUS AND ENERGETIC
UNCLE TED ALWAYS CALLED ELEANOR
HIS FAVORITE NIECE.
( children yelling and laughing)
SHE RECALLED HER CHILDHOOD
VISITS WITH HIM AS TERRIFYING.
"HE WAS HORRIFIED THAT I DIDN'
KNOW HOW TO SWIM," SHE SAID
"SO HE THOUGHT HE'D TEACH ME AS
HE TAUGHT ALL HIS OWN CHILDREN
"AND HE THREW ME IN, AND I SANK
RAPIDLY TO THE BOTTOM.
"THEN HE FISHED ME OU
AND LECTURED ME
ON BEING FRIGHTENED."
UNCLE TED DROVE HOME
THE ROOSEVELT RULE:
"NEVER SHOW FEAR."
AND LIKE ALL ROOSEVELT CHILDREN
ELEANOR WAS TAUGHT A STRONG
SENSE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Eleanor:
THEY ACCEPTED THE SERVANTS
IN THE BIG HOUSE
AND THEIR POSITION IN SOCIETY
BUT PART OF THAT ALSO
WAS THAT YOU OWED SOMETHING BACK
TO PEOPLE LESS FORTUNATE
THAN YOURSELF.
Narrator:
ELEANOR TOOK THIS
SENSE OF DUTY SERIOUSLY.
TWICE A WEEK, SHE RODE
THE PUBLIC TROLLEY DOWNTOWN
TO THE GRIMY, TEEMING SLUMS
OF THE LOWER EAST SIDE.
THERE, AT THE UNIVERSITY
SETTLEMENT HOUSE
SHE DID VOLUNTEER WORK
WITH YOUNG IMMIGRANTS
HELPING THEM ADAP
TO LIFE IN AMERICA.
SHE TAUGHT DANCE
AND CALISTHENICS.
SHE THOUGHT OF HER WORK
AS THE HIGHLIGHT OF HER WEEK.
Lash:
IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL THAT SOCIETY
PEOPLE CAME FROM TIME TO TIME
AND LOOKED AT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
IT WAS UNUSUAL THAT SOMEBODY
CAME ON A REGULAR BASIS
AND REALLY WORKED THERE
AND CONSIDERED THIS
A JOB FOR WHICH SHE HAD
TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY.
THAT WAS UNUSUAL.
Narrator:
SHE JOINED THE NEW YORK
CONSUMERS' LEAGUE
AN ORGANIZATION WHICH EXPOSED
HARSH WORKING CONDITIONS
FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
SHE SAW THINGS
SHE WOULD NEVER FORGET:
SWEATSHOPS WHERE
WOMEN LABORED LONG HOURS
FOR SUBSISTENCE WAGES;
TENEMENT HOMES WHERE CHILDREN
MADE ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS
FOR HOURS ON END, UNTIL
THEY DROPPED WITH EXHAUSTION.
NOW 18, ELEANOR WAS EXPECTED
TO MAKE HER FORMAL DEBU
INTO SOCIETY
AND FIND A HUSBAND.
BECAUSE SHE WAS
THE PRESIDENT'S NIECE
HER COMING OUT IN 1902
WAS CLOSELY WATCHED.
Lash:
SHE HATED COMING OUT.
SHE NEVER KNEW HOW TO DO GOSSIP.
SHE JUST DIDN'
KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
SHE LIKED TO TALK ABOUT THINGS,
SHE LIKED TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE
SHE LIKED TO TALK ABOU
WHAT SHE HAD READ
BUT JUST SMALL TALK DIDN'
INTEREST HER AT ALL, EVER.
Narrator:
ELEANOR REMEMBERED
HOW AWKWARD SHE FELT.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
EVERYTHING YOU DID WAS SO THA
YOU WOULD GRACE SOCIETY.
IF YOU WERE UGLY,
YOU TRIED TO MAKE UP FOR I
BY BEING WELL-EDUCATED
AND HAVING VERY GOOD MANNERS.
Eleanor:
MY AUNT DIDN'
THINK MUCH OF HERSELF
BUT SHE WAS SLIM
AND SHE WAS TALL
AND SHE HAD A LOT OF BLONDE HAIR
DONE VERY NICELY
AND SHE LOVED TO DANCE.
SHE DANCED VERY WELL.
AND SHE PROBABLY CU
REALLY QUITE A STUNNING FIGURE
ON THE BALLROOM.
Narrator:
SEVERAL YOUNG MEN SOON
STARTED TO COURT HER.
ONE WAS HER DISTANT COUSIN,
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
A 20-YEAR-OLD STUDEN
AT HARVARD.
THEY HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER
AS SMALL CHILDREN
AND HAD MET AGAIN AT A PARTY
WHEN SHE WAS 14.
"HE WAS YOUNG AND GAY
AND GOOD-LOOKING," SHE RECALLED.
"AND I WAS SHY AND AWKWARD
AND THRILLED
WHEN HE ASKED ME TO DANCE."
UNLIKE ELEANOR, FRANKLIN HAD
A STABLE, LOVING CHILDHOOD
GROWING UP ON HIS PARENTS'
ESTATE IN HYDE PARK, NEW YORK.
HE HAD LITTLE CONTACT WITH
OTHER CHILDREN UNTIL HE WAS 14
WHEN HE WAS SEN
TO BOARDING SCHOOL.
THERE AND AT HARVARD,
HE HAD DIFFICULTY FITTING IN
BUT HE LEARNED
TO HIDE HIS FEELINGS
BEHIND A CHARMING EXTERIOR.
Woman:
HE WAS VERY ATTRACTIVE,
VERY OUTGOING
A DASHING PERSONALITY
SOMEONE WHO LAUGHED
AND WHO WAS EASY WITH PEOPLE
AND SHE WAS FLATTERED
BY THE ATTENTION
AND SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM.
IT WASN'T HARD TO DO.
Narrator:
SEVERAL TIMES,
FRANKLIN MET ELEANOR
AFTER HER CLASSES
AT THE SETTLEMENT HOUSE
AND SHE INTRODUCED HIM
TO A WORLD HE HAD NEVER SEEN.
ONCE THEY HELPED
A GIRL WHO WAS SICK
BACK TO HER DARK,
CROWDED TENEMENT HOME.
FRANKLIN WAS SHOCKED
BY WHAT HE SAW
AND AFTERWARDS KEPT REPEATING
THAT HE COULD NOT BELIEVE
HUMAN BEINGS LIVED THAT WAY.
Gibson:
HE WAS FASCINATED
THAT A YOUNG WOMAN
OF HIS SOCIAL CLASS
WAS THE ONE WHO WAS SHOWING HIM
THINGS THAT MOVED HIM.
SHE WASN'T THE LIGHT,
FUNNY SOCIALITE
THAT PEOPLE EXPECTED
HE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN.
BUT I THINK THERE WAS A PIECE
OF F.D.R., A VERY LARGE PIECE
THAT WAS FAR MORE INTERESTED
IN THE REALITIES OF LIFE.
Narrator:
FRANKLIN PROPOSED
IN NOVEMBER 1903
AND ELEANOR
IMMEDIATELY ACCEPTED.
HE DECLARED HIMSELF
"THE HAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH."
"TO FRANKLIN:
OH, DARLING, I MISS YOU SO.
"I LONG FOR THE HAPPY HOURS
WHICH WE HAVE TOGETHER.
"I AM SO HAPPY, SO VERY HAPPY
IN YOUR LOVE, DEARES
"AND ALL THE WORLD
HAS CHANGED FOR ME.
"IF ONLY I CAN BRING TO YOU
ALL THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO ME
"ALL MY DEAREST WISHES
WILL BE FULFILLED.
"GOOD-BYE, DEAREST BOY.
YOUR DEVOTED LITTLE NELL."
ON MARCH 17, 1905, ELEANOR
AND FRANKLIN WERE MARRIED.
PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVEL
GAVE THE BRIDE AWAY.
"WHEN THE WEDDING WAS OVER,"
ELEANOR RECALLED
"WE SUDDENLY DISCOVERED THA
THE MINUTE UNCLE TED LEFT US
"EVERYBODY ELSE LEFT US, TOO.
"IT WAS REALLY
MUCH MORE IMPORTAN
THAT UNCLE TED WAS THERE THAN
THAT WE WERE BEING MARRIED."
ELEANOR AND FRANKLIN'S EARLY
MARRIED LIFE WAS DOMINATED
BY ANOTHER POWERFUL ROOSEVELT,
FRANKLIN'S MOTHER, SARA.
Franklin:
FRANKLIN WAS SARA'S ONLY CHILD,
AND SHE WAS EXTREMELY POSSESSIVE
AND DID NOT WANT HIM TO GO OFF
AND MARRY SOMEBODY ELSE
AND HAVE SOME OTHER LIFE.
Narrator:
ELEANOR DID EVERYTHING SHE COULD
TO WIN SARA'S AFFECTION.
ON THEIR HONEYMOON, SHE WROTE
HER MOTHER-IN-LAW ALMOST DAILY.
"THANK YOU SO MUCH, DEAR,
FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID FOR US.
"YOU ARE ALWAYS JUS
THE SWEETEST, DEAREST MAMA
"TO YOUR CHILDREN
"AND I SHALL LOOK FORWARD TO
OUR NEXT LONG EVENING TOGETHER
WHEN I SHALL WAN
TO BE KISSED ALL THE TIME."
Eleanor:
SHE HOPED THAT HER MOTHER-IN-LAW
WOULD REPLACE HER MOTHER.
SHE HOPED HER MOTHER-IN-LAW
WOULD LOVE HER
WITH THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
THAT SHE HAD WANTED
FROM HER OWN MOTHER
BUT NEVER RECEIVED.
Narrator:
BUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP
WAS OFTEN STRAINED.
SARA TRIED TO RUN
THE YOUNG COUPLE'S LIFE
AS SHE HAD FRANKLIN'S
AND SHE HAD THE POWER TO DO IT.
SHE CONTROLLED
HER SON'S FINANCES.
Franklin:
SHE BOUGHT THEM A TOWNHOUSE
AND ALSO BOUGHT THE ADJOINING
TOWNHOUSE FOR HERSELF
AND HAD DOORS BUIL
ON EACH FLOOR
CONNECTING THE TWO HOUSES
SO THERE WAS NO PRIVACY
FROM THE MOTHER-IN-LAW.
AND THE MOTHER-IN-LAW
HIRED THE SERVANTS
AND FURNISHED THE HOUSE.
SHE WAS A DOER.
SHE WANTED FRANKLIN
TO BE PART OF HER WORLD
AND FOR THE MOST PART,
SHE GOT HER WAY.
Narrator:
SARA INSISTED ELEANOR
GIVE UP HER SOCIAL WORK
AND ELEANOR
RELUCTANTLY ACQUIESCED.
IN 1906, THE ROOSEVELTS'
FIRST CHILD, ANNA, WAS BORN.
JAMES WAS BORN THE NEXT YEAR.
ELEANOR WAS UNEASY
IN HER NEW ROLE.
Lash:
SHE LOVED HER CHILDREN
AND SHE WANTED TO DO WELL
BUT SHE WAS NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE
AND SO SHE IMPOSED RULES ON THEM
WHICH EVEN THEN
WERE NOT VERY USUAL.
FOR INSTANCE,
THAT SHE TIED THE THUMBS DOWN
SO THAT THEY COULDN'
SUCK THEIR THUMBS
OR SHE PUT A CRADLE OU
IN FRONT OF A WINDOW
LIKE A WINDOW BOX
SO THAT THE CHILD WOULD GET AIR
AND, AND WHICH IS
A SCARY IDEA.
Narrator:
HER FEELINGS OF INSECURITY
ABOUT MOTHERHOOD ONLY GREW
WITH THE BIRTH IN 1909 OF THEIR
THIRD CHILD, FRANKLIN, JR.
FROM THE BEGINNING,
HE SEEMED DELICATE
TO HAVE ONE ILLNESS
AFTER ANOTHER.
WHEN HE WAS JUS
SEVEN MONTHS OLD, HE DIED.
IT WAS A DEVASTATING THING
I MEAN, BECAUSE SHE TENDED
TO BLAME HERSELF
FOR EVERYTHING THAT WENT WRONG
IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
SO SHE THOUGH
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN
SOMETHING SHE COULD HAVE DONE.
SHE COULD HAVE CONTACTED
THIS DOCTOR OR THAT DOCTOR.
SHE WAS REALLY VERY DEPRESSED.
ELLIOTT WAS BORN A YEAR LATER.
SARA HIRED AND FIRED
THE NANNIES.
SHE SPOILED THE CHILDREN
WITH TREATS
AND COMFORTED THEM
WHEN THEY WERE HURT.
SHE EVEN TOLD THEM TO THINK
OF HER AS THEIR REAL MOTHER.
"YOUR MOTHER ONLY BORE YOU,"
SHE SAID.
Eleanor:
THEY LEARNED EARLY
THAT IF THEIR MOTHER
WOULDN'T GIVE THEM SOMETHING
ALL THEY HAD TO DO
WAS TO GO SEE GRANNY.
AND THEY COULD CHARM GRANNY
OUT OF ANYTHING THEY WANTED.
GRANNY WANTED THE CHILDREN
TO LOVE HER
AS THOUGH
THEY WERE HER CHILDREN.
AND MY AUNT WANTED THEM
TO GROW INTO GOOD PEOPLE
AND FELT SHE HAD
TO BE THE DISCIPLINARIAN
AND THAT IT WASN'T QUITE FAIR.
Gurewitsch:
THAT MUST HAVE BEEN
VERY FRUSTRATING
FOR A YOUNG MARRIED WOMAN TO
TO EXPRESS HER DIFFICULTIES
WITH A MOTHER-IN-LAW
TO A MAN WHO WOULD
NOT CONFRONT HIS MOTHER.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
IF SOMETHING WAS UNPLEASAN
AND HE DIDN'T WAN
TO KNOW ABOUT I
HE JUST IGNORED IT.
HE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IF YOU
IGNORED A THING LONG ENOUGH
IT WOULD SETTLE ITSELF.
Ward:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT IS OFTEN
BLAMED FOR BEING A BAD MOTHER.
HER HUSBAND WAS NO
A VERY GOOD FATHER
AND EXPECTED HER AND HIS MOTHER
TO DO ALL THE PARENTING
AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME HOME
AND HAVE FUN WITH THE KIDS,
AND HE DID.
THEY ADORED HIM.
BUT WHEN THAT WAS OVER
HE WASN'T VERY INTERESTED
IN HELPING THEM MUCH
AND I THINK
THE CHILDREN SUFFERED
FROM THE PROBLEMS
BOTH THEIR PARENTS HAD.
Narrator:
F.D.R. HAD TRAINED AS A LAWYER
BUT HIS AMBITION
WAS TO BE PRESIDENT.
HE BEGAN HIS POLITICAL CAREER
SERVING A TERM
IN THE NEW YORK STATE SENATE.
THEN IN 1913, HE WAS APPOINTED
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.
ELEANOR MOVED THE FAMILY
TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
SHE WOULD HAVE
TWO MORE CHILDREN
A SECOND FRANKLIN, JR.,
IN 1914
AND JOHN, TWO YEARS LATER.
Franklin:
THIS WAS A YOUNG COUPLE
ON THE MOVE.
F.D.R.'S CAREER WAS TAKING OFF.
THERE WERE A LO
OF THINGS EXPECTED
OF THE WIFE OF SUCH AN
UP-AND-COMING GOVERNMEN
OFFICIAL
THAT SHE HAD TO DO
JUST OUT OF DUTY.
Narrator:
SHE HIRED A SOCIAL SECRETARY,
LUCY MERCER, TO HELP HER.
CHARMING, INTELLIGENT,
WARM AND RELIABLE
LUCY FIT EASILY INTO THE
BUSTLING ROOSEVELT HOUSEHOLD.
WASHINGTON ETIQUETTE
REQUIRED ELEANOR
TO MAKE DOZENS OF SOCIAL VISITS
LEAVING CALLING CARDS AT THE
HOMES OF OTHER OFFICIALS' WIVES.
Seagraves:
THAT WAS THE PROPER THING TO DO.
IF THEY HAD DROPPED THEM
AT YOUR HOUSE
YOU HAD TO RETURN
THE COMPLIMENT.
YOU HAD TO HAVE AN OPEN-HOUSE
DAY WHEN PEOPLE CAME
DROPPED IN FOR TEA,
AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SHE REALLY DIDN'
APPRECIATE THAT.
SHE DIDN'T LIKE IT.
SHE KNEW SHE HAD TO DO I
AND SHE DID IT PROBABLY
WITH A RATHER STIFF GRACE.
Narrator:
IN THE EVENINGS, THERE WERE
COCKTAILS, DINNERS AND DANCES.
FRANKLIN ALWAYS ENJOYED HIMSELF.
ELEANOR OFTEN DID NOT.
Eleanor:
MY AUNT ELEANOR HAD
A DISTINCT AVERSION TO ALCOHOL
BECAUSE IT AFFECTED
SO MANY IN HER FAMILY.
HER FATHER HAD DIED
OF ALCOHOLISM.
HER BROTHER HALL, MY FATHER,
WOULD DIE OF ALCOHOLISM.
THE WHOLE IDEA OF PEOPLE
BEING OUT OF CONTROL
TERRIFIED HER
AND MADE HER TERRIBLY UNEASY.
AND SO SHE FOUND
BEING AT PARTIES
AT WHICH HER HUSBAND AND OTHER
PEOPLE GOT PLEASANTLY TIPSY
IT WASN'T PLEASANT TO HER.
Gibson:
HE LOVED HAVING FUN.
HE ENJOYED HIS COCKTAIL HOUR.
HE ENJOYED POKER GAMES.
HE LOVED GOOD GOSSIP.
Gurewitsch:
HE LIKED TO FLIRT WITH WOMEN.
HE WAS JUST AMUSING
HIMSELF AND OTHERS
AND MRS. ROOSEVELT GOT JEALOUS.
HE, AFTER ALL, WAS A MAN
WHO NEVER REALLY CONFIDED
NEVER CONFIDED IN HIS MOTHER
WITH WHOM HE WAS SO CLOSE
AND SHE CRAVED INTIMACY
AND THAT'S THE ONE THING THA
HER HUSBAND COULDN'T GIVE HER.
Narrator:
IN THE SUMMER OF 1917,
ELEANOR TOOK THE CHILDREN NORTH
TO CAMPOBELLO
THE ROOSEVELTS' SPRAWLING SUMMER
HOME OFF THE COAST OF MAINE.
FRANKLIN STAYED BEHIND
WORKING IN WASHINGTON.
SO DID LUCY MERCER.
Lash:
MRS. ROOSEVELT WENT AWAY
FOR THE SUMMER.
THERE WAS LUCY IN THE HOUSE
AND THERE WAS LONELY FRANKLIN.
AND I THINK THIS DEVELOPED
THE WAY THINGS DO DEVELOP
WITH NOBODY PLANNING THEM.
THEY JUST HAPPEN.
Narrator:
THE NEXT SUMMER
FRANKLIN VISITED
AMERICAN TROOPS IN EUROPE.
Franklin:
WHEN HE GOT HOME
ELEANOR WAS LEFT WITH THE JOB
OF UNPACKING HIS SUITCASE.
BUT IN THE COURSE OF PUTTING
HIS CLOTHES AWAY, AND SO ON
SHE CAME ACROSS
A LITTLE PACKET OF LETTERS
UM AND WITHOU
REALLY WANTING TO BE NOSY
SHE COULDN'T HELP
BUT SEE THAT HERE WAS
A WHOLE BUNCH OF LETTERS
BETWEEN FRANKLIN AND LUCY
WHICH UPON CLOSER
EXAMINATION REVEALED
THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING
SERIOUSLY GOING ON HERE.
Eleanor:
THE WAY THAT MY AUNT ELEANOR
FELT ABOUT FRANKLIN
WAS THE WAY SHE HAD FEL
ABOUT HER FATHER.
IT WAS A FANTASTIC LOVE
THAT SHE FELT WOULD BE TOTAL.
WHEN SHE DISCOVERED
THAT FRANKLIN HAD AN AFFAIR
SHE WAS SO STUNNED, AND DIDN'
KNOW WHERE TO PUT THIS HURT.
I THINK THE GREATEST HUR
WAS THAT FRANKLIN
HAD BROKEN HIS WORD.
IT WAS LIKE HER FATHER, WHO HAD
MADE PROMISES AND NOT KEPT THEM.
Franklin:
SHE CONFRONTED HIM AND SAID,
"YOU CAN HAVE A DIVORCE."
BUT AT THE SAME TIME
SARA WAS INFORMED
AND SHE SAID, "NO WAY.
"WE DON'T DO DIVORCE
IN THIS FAMILY.
AND, FRANKLIN, YOU'D BETTER
STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT."
Narrator:
FRANKLIN REALIZED
A DIVORCED MAN COULD NEVER
BE ELECTED PRESIDENT.
AFTER HE PROMISED
NEVER TO SEE LUCY AGAIN
ELEANOR AGREED
TO GO ON WITH THE MARRIAGE
BUT THEY NEVER LIVED TOGETHER
AS HUSBAND AND WIFE AGAIN.
AND NEVER, IN ALL HER WRITINGS
ALL HER MEMOIRS,
ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS
DID ELEANOR EVER MENTION
FRANKLIN'S BETRAYAL.
A YEAR LATER,
GRANDMOTHER HALL DIED.
ELEANOR WENT TO TIVOLI
FOR THE FUNERAL.
STILL DEVASTATED BY FRANKLIN'S
AFFAIR, SHE COULD NOT EAT.
SHE WAS LONELY AND EXHAUSTED.
Cook:
OUT OF HER GRIEF
SHE BEGINS TO COMPARE HER LIFE
TO HER GRANDMOTHER'S LIFE.
HER GRANDMOTHER
COULD HAVE BEEN A PAINTER.
HER GRANDMOTHER COULD HAVE DONE
SO MUCH MORE THAN SHE DID.
AND IT'S VERY CLEAR TO HER
THAT BEING A DEVOTED WIFE
AND A DEVOTED MOTHER
IS NOT ENOUGH.
AND ELEANOR ROOSEVELT DECIDES
SHE IS GOING TO DO EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE WITH HER LIFE.
SHE'S GOING TO LIVE A FULL LIFE.
Narrator:
ELEANOR AND FRANKLIN MOVED BACK
TO NEW YORK IN 1920.
ELEANOR, NOW 36 YEARS OLD,
EMBARKED ON A NEW LIFE.
SHE TOOK A SECRETARIAL COURSE.
SHE JOINED THE LEAGUE
OF WOMEN VOTERS
AND THE WOMEN'S CITY CLUB.
Seagraves:
SHE WENT INTO THIS WORK
DOUBTING THAT SHE COULD
BE OF MUCH HELP
AND FOUND
THAT SHE HAD A QUICK MIND
AND PEOPLE BEGAN
TO APPRECIATE HER
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED
SHE BEGAN TO APPRECIATE
HERSELF A LITTLE
AND IT WAS KIND OF
A SNOWBALLING THING.
Cook:
SHE IS A TERRIFIC
FUNDRAISER AND ORGANIZER
AND VERY QUICKLY SHE MEETS
OTHER WOMEN IN NEW YORK.
THEY REMIND HER OF THE CIRCLE
THAT SHE LEFT AT ALLENSWOOD
INDEPENDENT WOMEN
AND IT'S A WORLD THA
SHE RELISHES AND ENJOYS.
Narrator:
BUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY
THE ROOSEVELTS WERE ENGULFED
IN ANOTHER FAMILY CRISIS.
IN THE SUMMER OF 1921,
THEY VACATIONED AT CAMPOBELLO.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
IT WAS GETTING NEAR SUPPERTIME.
FRANKLIN STARTED TO GO UPSTAIRS
AND SAID HIS BACK ACHED
AND HE DIDN'T FEEL VERY WELL.
AND BY THE NEXT MORNING,
HE COULD HARDLY STAND
AND BY THE NEXT DAY,
HE COULD NOT STAND AT ALL.
Gibson:
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS
TERRIFIED FOR HIM.
SHE WASN'T REALLY SURE
WHAT IT WAS.
WOULD HE LIVE?
WOULD HE DIE?
WOULD HE EVER WALK AGAIN?
Franklin:
SHE WENT INTO ACTION
AND SHE JUST DID EVERYTHING
SHE COULD TO KEEP HIM ALIVE
TO BRING HIS FEVER DOWN
SOMEHOW TRY
TO MAKE HIM COMFORTABLE
TO CHANGE HIS BEDCLOTHES.
Gibson:
AT THE SAME TIME,
SHE HAS FIVE CHILDREN
WHO ARE SAYING,
"WHAT'S WRONG? WHAT'S WRONG?"
THEY KNEW SOMETHING TERRIBLE
WAS HAPPENING.
Narrator:
FRANKLIN'S ILLNESS
WAS DIAGNOSED AS POLIO.
HIS LEGS WERE LEF
WITHERED AND USELESS.
HE HAD TO BE CARRIED OFF THE
ISLAND TO RETURN TO NEW YORK.
Ward:
THERE WAS A REAL BATTLE
IN THE ROOSEVELT FAMILY
OVER FRANKLIN'S FUTURE.
HIS MOTHER THOUGHT THAT HE
SHOULD COME HOME TO HYDE PARK
AND BECOME A COUNTRY GENTLEMAN
AND BE A HAPPY INVALID.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.
HE LOVED HYDE PARK, BUT HE
DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE FOREVER.
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT BACKED HIM.
SHE FELT THAT IF HE WANTED
TO TRY TO GET BACK INTO POLITICS
HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO TRY.
Gurewitsch:
ELEANOR DIDN'T WANT TO GO BACK
TO THE COUNTRY WITH AN INVALID
AFTER SHE HAD COME THAT FAR
TO FREE HERSELF.
BRINGING HIM BACK
INTO FUNCTIONING
WAS PAR
OF BRINGING HERSELF BACK
INTO AN INDEPENDENT,
FUNCTIONING PERSON.
Narrator:
SARA AND ELEANOR WERE EACH
CERTAIN THEY WERE RIGH
AND ACTING IN FRANKLIN'S
BEST INTERESTS.
IN HER DISTRESS,
ELEANOR BECAME COLD AND SILENT.
IN THE SPRING OF 1922
THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE ROOSEVEL
HOUSE WAS FILLED WITH TENSION.
ONE DAY, AS ELEANOR WAS
READING TO HER YOUNGER SONS
SHE BROKE DOWN.
THE FAMILY WAS STUNNED.
SHE FLED TO A QUIET ROOM.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE,
SHE COULD NOT STOP CRYING.
Cook:
SHE JUST BREAKS DOWN.
IT'S A WARNING TO HER.
SHE'S REALLY EXHAUSTED
AND SHE'S GOING
TO HAVE TO GET OUT THERE
AND HEAL HERSELF AS WELL.
Narrator:
AS THE CRISIS OF F.D.R.'S
ILLNESS SUBSIDED
ELEANOR AND FRANKLIN MOVED MORE
AND MORE IN SEPARATE WORLDS.
HE SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME
IN THE SOUTH
FIRST IN FLORIDA, AND LATER
IN WARM SPRINGS, GEORGIA
TRYING TO REGAIN
THE USE OF HIS LEGS.
HE WAS STILL DETERMINED
TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT ONE DAY.
HIS SECRETARY, MISSY LEHAND,
STAYED WITH HIM
AND WAS NOW
HIS CLOSEST COMPANION.
ELEANOR REMAINED IN NEW YORK.
SHE DID NOT SHARE
FRANKLIN'S BELIEF
THAT HE WOULD ONE DAY WALK AGAIN
BUT SHE DID NOT TRY
TO MAKE HIM COME HOME.
I THINK THEY FOUND LIFE APAR
EASIER THAN LIFE TOGETHER.
BOTH OF THEM HAD CAUSES TO WHICH
THEY COULD DEVOTE THEMSELVES.
THEY WOULD COME
TOGETHER PERIODICALLY
AND THEN FLOAT APART AGAIN.
THE ROOSEVELTS REMAINED
VERY FOND OF ONE ANOTHER
AND I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THA
THEY MADE THEIR MARRIAGE WORK.
Narrator:
ELEANOR TRIED TO MAKE UP
FOR FRANKLIN'S ABSENCE.
SHE TRIED TO BE MORE OPEN
WITH HER CHILDREN
ESPECIALLY ANNA.
SHE EVEN LEARNED TO SWIM AND
TO PLAY WITH HER YOUNGER BOYS.
AND SHE THREW HERSELF
INTO POLITICS.
SHE WAS HELPED BY F.D.R.'S
CLOSEST ADVISER, LOUIS HOWE.
A FORMER JOURNALIST,
HOWE WAS A CHAIN SMOKER
WHOSE CLOTHES WERE
ALWAYS COVERED IN ASH.
HE WAS UNTIDY AND DISHEVELED
AND HE HAD ONE OF THE SHREWDES
POLITICAL MINDS IN AMERICA.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
AFTER THE POLIO ATTACK
LOUIS HOWE WAS ALWAYS CONVINCED
THAT FRANKLIN'S POLITICAL CAREER
MUST BE CONTINUED
AND HE DECIDED THAT I SHOULD
WORK WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
AND KEEP THE CONTACTS ALIVE
FOR FRANKLIN.
Narrator:
IN THE SPRING OF 1922,
SHE WAS ASKED TO ADDRESS
A DEMOCRATIC PARTY FUNDRAISER.
SHE WAS TERRIFIED
OF SPEAKING IN PUBLIC
BUT LOUIS HOWE ENCOURAGED HER
TO ACCEPT.
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT REALLY
DOES NOT LIKE AT FIRS
TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC.
( in high voice):
AND SHE HAS A VERY HIGH,
UNCONTROLLABLE VOICE
THAT GOES UP AND DOWN.
AND THEN, BECAUSE SHE'S NERVOUS,
SHE LAUGHS AT THE WRONG TIMES.
( in normal voice):
AND LOUIS HOWE WOULD SIT IN THE
BACK AND MAKE FACES AND GESTURES
AND, "GET THAT VOICE LOW,
AND GET IT UNDER CONTROL."
AND HE WATCHES EVERY WORD
AND THEY WRITE
HER SPEECHES TOGETHER.
Narrator:
THE EARLY 1920s WERE
A CONTRADICTORY TIME
FOR AMERICAN WOMEN.
THEY HAD WON THE BATTLE
FOR SUFFRAGE
BUT WOMEN WHO WANTED SOCIAL
REFORMS STILL HAD TROUBLE
MAKING THEIR DEMANDS HEARD BY
THE MEN WHO RAN PARTY POLITICS.
Franklin:
SHE GOT TOGETHER WITH SOME
OTHER VERY CAPABLE WOMEN
AND THEY INSISTED ON A ROLE FOR
WOMEN IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
SHE WAS OUT THERE ON
THE FRONT LINES OF POLITICS
HELPING WOMEN ORGANIZE
IN LABOR UNIONS
DEAL WITH ABUSES IN THE
WORKPLACE, CHILD LABOR.
Narrator:
IN 1924, AS ELECTIONS APPROACHED
ELEANOR WAS DETERMINED THAT SHE
AND HER COLLEAGUES WOULD HAVE
MORE THAN A TOKEN PRESENCE
AT THE CONVENTION.
Ward:
CHARLES MURPHY WAS THE BOSS
OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
IN NEW YORK
AND HE INSISTED
THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE
THE WOMEN DELEGATES
TO THE COMING CONVENTION
AND MRS. ROOSEVELT INSISTED
THAT WOMEN WOULD CHOOSE THEM.
AND IN THE MOST GENTEEL
AND POLITE AND LADYLIKE WAY
SHE SUGGESTED THA
IF HE DIDN'T GIVE IN TO HER
SHE WOULD HAVE TO GO
TO THE PRESS.
Narrator:
CHARLES MURPHY HELD HIS GROUND
AND ELEANOR
CARRIED OUT HER THREAT.
"WOMEN MUST GAIN
THE RESPECT OF MEN"
SHE DECLARED IN A BLUNT SPEECH.
"WE WILL BE ENORMOUSLY
STRENGTHENED IF WE CAN SHOW
"THAT WE ARE WILLING TO FIGH
TO THE VERY LAST DITCH
FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN."
THE BATTLE MADE FRONT-PAGE NEWS.
Ward:
THE BOSS CAVED.
IT WAS REALLY HER FIRST TASTE
OF POLITICAL BLOOD.
SHE HAD BEATEN A FORMIDABLE FOE
RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX
AND SHE HAD ENORMOUS PLEASURE
IN REPORTING THIS TO FRANKLIN
THAT SHE'D BEATEN THIS MAN.
Franklin:
THE COVER FOR IT
THE LINE WHICH SHE HERSELF
PUT FORTH ALL THE TIME
WAS THAT SHE WAS ONLY DOING I
FOR THE SAKE OF FRANKLIN
AND FRANKLIN'S CAREER.
BUT IN FACT, UM
SHE WAS ENJOYING IT.
Narrator:
THROUGH HER WORK, ELEANOR MADE
A CIRCLE OF CLOSE FRIENDS
POLITICALLY SOPHISTICATED,
INDEPENDENT WOMEN
LIKE NANCY COOK.
COOK WAS A CREATIVE,
ENERGETIC ORGANIZER
IN THE STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
SHE LIVED IN GREENWICH VILLAGE
WITH HER PARTNER,
MARIAN DICKERMAN.
DICKERMAN WAS A TEACHER
AND THE FIRST WOMAN TO RUN FOR
THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE.
WHEN DICKERMAN TOOK OVER
THE PRIVATE TODHUNTER SCHOOL
IN NEW YORK
ELEANOR JOINED HER
TEACHING LITERATURE AND HISTORY
THREE DAYS A WEEK.
Woman:
SHE WAS A FASCINATING TEACHER.
I WAS NOT VERY GOOD AT MATH
AND I WAS ABOU
TO TAKE COLLEGE BOARDS.
SO THE SCHOOL SUGGESTED
I DROP MRS. ROOSEVELT'S COURSE,
I SAID, "NO, I DO NOT WANT TO
GIVE UP MRS. ROOSEVELT'S CLASS."
Narrator:
FRANKLIN SUPPORTED
ELEANOR'S INDEPENDENCE
AND ENJOYED HER NEW FRIENDS.
Man:
I'LL BE LOVING YOU ALWAYS ♪
Narrator:
IN 1925, HE EVEN BUILT THEM
A SMALL STONE HOUSE
CALLED VAL-KILL
NEAR HIS MOTHER'S
HYDE PARK ESTATE.
MY AUNT ELEANOR HAD NEVER
HAD A HOME OF HER OWN.
SHE HAD ALWAYS LONGED FOR ONE.
I MEAN, HERE WAS
A GROWN-UP WOMAN
WITH FIVE CHILDREN AND A HUSBAND
AND SHE NEVER HAD
LIVED IN HER OWN HOUSE
AND THIS WAS HER DREAM.
Narrator:
IT WAS AN UNUSUAL ARRANGEMENT.
SOMETIMES FRANKLIN JOINED THEM
FOR MEALS AND PICNICS.
WHEN OCCASION DEMANDED
ELEANOR WOULD ENTERTAIN WITH
FRANKLIN AT SARA'S HOUSE NEARBY.
BUT VAL-KILL WAS ELEANOR'S
AND SHE WOULD THINK OF I
AS HER REAL HOME
FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.
Ward:
WITHIN HER PRIVATE WORLD
AT VAL-KILL
WITH VERY, VERY CLOSE FRIENDS
SHE CLEARLY WAS HAVING
A WONDERFUL TIME.
AND PART OF HER JOY IS THE FAC
THAT SHE'S HAVING A GOOD TIME.
SHE IS SURPRISED AND ASTONISHED
AND DELIGHTED
TO BE HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME.
Men:
I WILL UNDERSTAND ♪
ALWAYS, ALWAYS ♪
Narrator:
BY 1928, ELEANOR WAS DIRECTOR
OF THE BUREAU
OF WOMEN'S ACTIVITIES
FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
AND ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
AND WELL-KNOWN WOMEN
IN NATIONAL POLITICS.
SHE PUBLISHED ARTICLES
IN MAJOR MAGAZINES
ON EVERYTHING FROM
PARENTING TO FOREIGN POLICY
TO THE CHANGING ROLE
OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY.
SHE WAS ASKED
TO ENDORSE PRODUCTS
AND HER FIRST ADS FOR
THE SIMMONS MATTRESS COMPANY
APPEARED IN VOGUE MAGAZINE.
THAT SAME YEAR, F.D.R. DECIDED
TO REENTER POLITICS
AND RUN FOR GOVERNOR
OF NEW YORK.
TO DISPEL RUMORS
THAT HE WAS STILL SICK
HE RAN AN ENERGETIC CAMPAIGN,
AND HE WON.
FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN NEARLY A DECADE
ELEANOR WAS
A POLITICAL WIFE AGAIN.
SHE MOVED THE FAMILY TO ALBANY,
AND DIVIDED HER TIME
BETWEEN HER DUTIES
AS THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE
AND HER OWN ACTIVITIES.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
FRANKLIN AND I HAD A DESIRE
TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS FOR PEOPLE.
I KNEW ABOUT SOCIAL CONDITIONS,
PERHAPS MORE THAN HE DID.
BUT HE KNEW ABOUT GOVERNMEN
AND HOW YOU COULD USE GOVERNMEN
TO IMPROVE CERTAIN THINGS
AND I THINK WE BEGAN TO GE
AN UNDERSTANDING OF TEAMWORK.
Narrator:
F.D.R. COULD NOT WALK
AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HIM
TO GO INSIDE THE SCHOOLS,
HOSPITALS AND STATE INSTITUTIONS
HE WANTED TO VISIT.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
FRANKLIN STARTED TRAINING ME
AS AN OBSERVER.
HE SENT ME IN THE FIRST TIME
AND AFTERWARDS
HE BEGAN TO ASK ME QUESTIONS.
"WHAT WAS THE FOOD LIKE?"
AND I SAID,
"OH, I LOOKED AT THE MENUS
AND THEY SEEMED VERY ADEQUATE."
AND HE SAID, "I DIDN'
ASK YOU ABOUT THE MENUS.
"I ASKED YOU
WHAT THE FOOD WAS LIKE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LOOKED
IN THE POTS ON THE STOVE."
AND ( laughs)
WELL, AFTER THA
I WAS VERY MUCH BETTER
AS AN INSPECTOR.
Gibson:
THEY WERE ABLE
TO FORGE A PARTNERSHIP
AND THROUGH THAT PARTNERSHIP
THEY BECAME CLOSER.
IT TOOK TIME
BUT I THINK THEY CAME
TO THE REALIZATION
THAT THEIR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER
TRULY HINGED ON VALUES
THAT WERE VERY DEEP.
WE OLDER PEOPLE MUST NOT TRY
TO MAKE THE YOUNGER GENERATION
DO THINGS THE WAY WE DID THEM.
Narrator:
ELEANOR WAS 46 YEARS OLD.
HER POISE IN FRONT OF THE
CAMERAS WAS NEW AND STRIKING.
I MADE A MISTAKE.
Narrator:
THE CHANGE WAS PARTLY DUE
TO THE ENCOURAGEMEN
OF EARL MILLER
A NEW YORK STATE TROOPER
WHOM FRANKLIN ASSIGNED
TO BE HER BODYGUARD.
MILLER SAW
THAT SHE WAS SOMETIMES
STILL OVERCOME BY SHYNESS.
"SMILE JUST FOR ONE PICTURE,"
HE WOULD COAX HER
OFTEN CLOWNING BEHIND THE CAMERA
TO MAKE HER RELAX.
MILLER WAS AN AMATEUR BOXER
AND A TALENTED ATHLETE.
HE ENCOURAGED HER
TO TAKE UP RIDING AGAIN.
HE HELPED HER SWIM BETTER,
DRIVE BETTER
HE EVEN TAUGHT HER TO SHOOT.
HE BOOSTED HER CONFIDENCE
AND MADE HER LAUGH.
PEOPLE GOSSIPED
ABOUT ELEANOR AND EARL
AS THEY DID ABOU
F.D.R. AND MISSY LEHAND.
MILLER ALWAYS DISMISSED
THE RUMORS.
"YOU DON'T GO TO BED
WITH SOMEONE
YOU CALL 'MRS. ROOSEVELT, '"
HE SAID.
THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE
ON CONDITION THA
YOU'LL COME BACK
AND VISIT ME
IN ALBANY, N.Y.
WHERE AT LEAS
I CAN GIVE YOU
SOME VERY
WONDERFUL SCENERY.
EITHER ALBANY
OR WASHINGTON.
WELL, I THINK
FOR WASHINGTON
WE MIGHT ALMOS
TOSS A COIN.
( laughter)
Narrator:
IT WAS LOUIS HOWE, NOT FRANKLIN,
WHO TOLD ELEANOR
HER HUSBAND WAS GOING
TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 1932.
SHE HAD KNOWN FOR YEARS
THAT THIS WAS HIS AMBITION
BUT THE NEWS THREW HER
INTO A DEPRESSION
SHE COULD BARELY HIDE IN PUBLIC.
THE ENTIRE ROOSEVELT FAMILY
WAS THRUST INTO
THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT.
MY GRANDDAUGHTER,
ANNA ROOSEVELT DALL,
ON HER LAP.
WHAT'S OUR CAMPAIGN
SLOGAN, SISSIE?
( Eleanor mumbles)
Anna ( loudly):
HAPPY DAYS ARE
HERE AGAIN.
GOOD, THAT'S RIGHT.
Woman:
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVEL
FOR THE NEXT PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES!
( loud cheering)
F.D.R.:
PROCEED TO A STRONG AMERICA
TO ITS OWN PEOPLE!
Narrator:
ELEANOR DREADED THE IDEA
OF BEING FIRST LADY
OF A LIFE DEFINED
BY TEAS AND RECEIVING LINES.
Franklin:
EVEN AS THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE
SHE HAD STILL
QUITE AN INDEPENDENT LIFE
AND SHE WAS A BIT DISTRAUGH
ABOUT THE IDEA
OF BEING TOTALLY IMMERSED
IN THIS GOLDFISH BOWL
OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
( crowds cheering)
THE DAY SHE REALIZED
THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE
THE WIFE OF THE PRESIDEN
WAS A TRAUMATIC DAY FOR HER.
Narrator:
"I KNEW WHAT TRADITIONALLY
WOULD LIE BEFORE ME"
ELEANOR REMEMBERED
"AND I CANNOT SAY I WAS PLEASED
WITH THE PROSPECT.
"THE TURMOIL
IN MY HEART AND MIND
WAS RATHER GREAT THAT NIGHT."
IN 1933, WHEN FRANKLIN ROOSEVEL
BECAME PRESIDEN
AMERICA WAS PARALYZED
BY THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
MILLIONS HAD LOST THEIR JOBS,
THEIR HOMES
AND THEIR TRUST IN GOVERNMENT.
WITH HIS BUOYANT SMILE
AND BOUNDLESS CONFIDENCE
ROOSEVELT MADE AMERICANS FEEL
HE UNDERSTOOD THEM
AND THAT HE WOULD MAKE
THEIR LIVES BETTER.
HE WOULD LEAD THE COUNTRY
OUT OF THE CRISIS
WITH AN IMMEDIATE PROGRESSIVE
PLAN OF ACTION.
ELEANOR WAS STILL STRUGGLING
WITH HER NEW ROLE AS FIRST LADY.
DESPERATE FOR SOMETHING
USEFUL TO DO
SHE EVEN OFFERED TO HELP
FRANKLIN WITH HIS MAIL.
HE REFUSED,
SAYING IT WOULD UNDERMINE
HIS SECRETARY, MISSY LEHAND.
WORSE, HE ASKED HER
TO RESIGN FROM TEACHING
AND FROM THE POLITICAL
ACTIVITIES SHE LOVED.
Newsreel narrator:
MRS. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVEL
IS SURPRISING WASHINGTON FOLKS
BY TAKING HER INITIAL
HORSEBACK RIDE
AS THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND.
Narrator:
AS SHE SEARCHED FOR
A MEANINGFUL ROLE
NEWSREEL CREWS SEEMED
TO FOLLOW HER EVERY MOVE.
Newsreel narrator:
ON HER FAVORITE MARE, DO
SHE'S GOING
FOR A CANTER IN THE PARK
WITH MRS. HENRY MORGENTHAU, JR.
AS HER COMPANION.
( crowd cheering)
Narrator:
THE PRESS DESCRIBED A WHITE
HOUSE THAT WAS FULL OF ENERGY
TEEMING WITH ROOSEVEL
CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN
BUT TO ELEANOR,
IT SEEMED HER LIFE AND FAMILY
WERE FALLING APART.
HER DAUGHTER ANNA
WAS IN THE MIDST OF A DIVORCE
AND MOVED INTO THE WHITE HOUSE
WITH HER TWO CHILDREN.
THIRD SON ELLIOT
WAS LEAVING HIS WIFE BETTY.
NOW ONE OF ELEANOR'S "GRISELDA
MOODS," AS SHE CALLED THEM
THREATENED TO OVERWHELM HER.
Narrator:
"IF ANYONE LOOKS AT ME,"
SHE WROTE
"I WANT TO WEEP.
"MY MIND GOES ROUND AND ROUND
LIKE A SQUIRREL IN A CAGE.
I WANT TO RUN AND I CAN'T
AND I DESPISE MYSELF."
SHE CONFIDED THESE FEELINGS
TO THE WOMAN WHO HAD BECOME
HER CLOSEST FRIEND
LORENA HICKOCK OR "HICK,"
AS ELEANOR CALLED HER.
LIKE ELEANOR, HICK HAD
A TRAUMATIC CHILDHOOD.
HER FATHER BEAT HER REGULARLY.
AFTER HER MOTHER DIED,
SHE RAN AWAY FROM HOME.
SHE BECAME A TOP REPORTER
FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
SHE WAS ASSIGNED TO COVER
THE CANDIDATE'S WIFE
AND SHE FELL PASSIONATELY
IN LOVE WITH ELEANOR.
Ward:
HICKOCK IS ENTIRELY
AND TOTALLY DEVOTED TO HER
AND THAT MRS. ROOSEVEL
HAD NEVER HAD IN HER LIFE.
NO ONE ELSE HAD BEEN
FULLY DEVOTED TO HER
NOT HER PARENTS, NOT HER HUSBAND
NOT HER CHILDREN,
NOT HER GRANDMOTHER.
UM SHE HAD ALWAYS BEEN
ON HER OWN.
Franklin:
HICK WAS A SINGLE WOMAN.
SHE DIDN'T HAVE
HER OWN ATTACHMENTS
AND SHE NEEDED ELEANOR
AS MUCH AS ELEANOR NEEDED HER.
THESE WERE TWO NEEDY PEOPLE,
AND THEY DISCOVERED
THAT THEY COULD FULFILL
EACH OTHER'S NEEDS.
Narrator:
HICK HATED TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED
AND SHE TRIED TO HIDE
FROM THE CAMERAS
THAT FOLLOWED
THE FIRST LADY EVERYWHERE.
SHE FELT HER LOVE FOR ELEANOR
COMPROMISED HER AS A JOURNALIS
AND SHE GAVE UP HER JOB.
ELEANOR CLEARLY
LOVED HICK IN RETURN.
"HICK DARLING
"ALL DAY I'VE THOUGHT OF YOU
"AND ANOTHER BIRTHDAY
I WILL BE WITH YOU.
"TONIGHT YOU SOUNDED
SO FAR AWAY AND FORMAL.
"OH, I WANT TO PU
MY ARMS AROUND YOU.
"I ACHE TO HOLD YOU CLOSE.
"YOUR RING IS A GREAT COMFORT.
"I LOOK AT IT AND THINK,
'SHE DOES LOVE ME'
OR I WOULDN'T BE WEARING IT."
Franklin:
IT SHOWS THA
SHE WAS CERTAINLY CAPABLE
OF A VERY INTENSE
EMOTIONAL RELATIONSHIP
AND EXPRESSING GREAT LOVE,
AND BEING THERE FOR SOMEONE ELSE
AND EXPECTING SOMEONE ELSE
TO BE THERE FOR HER.
AND, UH, SO IN THAT WAY,
SHE DEVELOPED EMOTIONAL CAPACITY
WHICH HAD NOT ALWAYS BEEN THERE.
HICK WAS A LESBIAN
AND, UH MRS. ROOSEVEL
WAS VERY AFFECTIONATE
AND QUITE DEMONSTRATIVE
NOT ONLY TO HICK,
TO OTHER WOMEN, TO MEN.
SHE SHOWED HER WARMTH
BUT SHE DEFINITELY
WAS NOT A LESBIAN.
Gibson:
I HAVE NO IDEA
WHETHER LORENA HICKOCK
HAD A HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH MY GRANDMOTHER OR NO
AND MY FEELING ABOUT THA
IS KIND OF, WHO CARES?
THEY WERE VERY GOOD FRIENDS
AND IF THEY COULD MAKE
EACH OTHER HAPPY IN ANY WAY
THEN THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
Narrator:
IN FEBRUARY 1934
THE TWO WOMEN WEN
ON A FACT-FINDING TRIP
AND HOLIDAY TO THE CARIBBEAN.
SEVERAL WOMEN JOURNALISTS
ACCOMPANIED THEM
AND FILMED PART OF THE TRIP.
ELEANOR HAD NEVER
LOOKED HAPPIER.
HICK HELPED ELEANOR
DEFINE HER ROLE AS FIRST LADY.
SHE TAUGHT HER
HOW TO WORK WITH THE PRESS.
Journalist:
MRS. ROOSEVELT,
WOULD YOU GIVE US
JUST A LITTLE
WAVE GOOD-BYE?
Narrator:
TOGETHER THEY ORCHESTRATED
ONE PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
AFTER ANOTHER.
Woman:
OH, PLEASE,
JUST FOR ME.
Man:
JUST ONE MINUTE,
PLEASE.
NOT AGAIN!
( laughs good-naturedly)
Narrator:
IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
WHEN THEY TOURED
THE CITY'S WORST SLUMS
ELEANOR TOLD THE PHOTOGRAPHER
TO TAKE HER PICTURE.
"I WANT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO
SEE WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE HERE."
THE TRIP WAS A PUBLIC RELATIONS
COUP FOR ELEANOR
AND BY EXTENSION, FOR FRANKLIN.
FOR TWO WEEKS SOLID,
THE PAPERS CARRIED STORIES
ABOUT HER AND THE PRESIDENT'S
CONCERN FOR THE REGION.
WHEN ELEANOR AND HICK RETURNED
FRANKLIN MET THEM
AT THE STATION.
IT WAS, THE PRESS NOTED
THE ROOSEVELTS'
29th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.
AT HICK'S SUGGESTION
ELEANOR HELD PRESS CONFERENCES
FOR WOMEN ONLY.
SHE URGED HER HUSBAND TO APPOIN
WOMEN TO GOVERNMENT POSITIONS.
SHE ARGUED THAT EVERYONE
YOUNG PEOPLE, WOMEN
AND AFRICAN AMERICANS
SHOULD BE INCLUDED
IN F.D.R.'S PROGRAMS
PUTTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.
SHE WAS SOON RECOGNIZED
AS A NEW KIND OF FIRST LADY.
THIS INDUSTRY,
WHICH WE WILL BE ENCOURAGING
Ward:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT HAD PHENOMENAL
UNPRECEDENTED ENERGY.
I'M SORRY, BUT I HAVE TO GO.
Ward:
SHE WAS IN ACTION, IN MOTION
IT SEEMS, 24 HOURS A DAY.
THAT ALLOWED HER TO DO
ENORMOUS AMOUNTS IN HER LIFE.
IT WAS ALSO PROBABLY
EVIDENCE OF SOMEONE
WHO IS TERRIFIED
TO SIT STILL AND BE ALONE
FOR FEAR DEPRESSION
WILL JUST BLANKET THEM.
SHE DID HAVE DEPRESSIVE BOUTS
AND I THINK SHE
FENDED THEM OFF WONDERFULLY
BY THIS CEASELESS,
CEASELESS ACTIVITY.
Narrator:
IN ONE THREE-MONTH PERIOD,
SHE LOGGED 40,000 MILES
GIVING LECTURES
VISITING SCHOOLS
AND FACTORIES
OPENING FAIRS.
SIX DAYS A WEEK,
NO MATTER WHERE SHE WAS
SHE WROTE A NEWSPAPER COLUMN
CALLED "MY DAY."
SHE TALKED TO PEOPLE
FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
SHE SAW FIRSTHAND THE
NEW GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AT WORK
AND REPORTED BACK TO F.D.R.
Woman:
EVERY TIME WE HAD MEETINGS
WITH MRS. ROOSEVEL
WE'D ALL SIT BACK AND THINK
THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET TOLD
HOW WONDERFUL WE WERE.
AND THAT WAS JUST PERFUNCTORY.
"THAT'S GOOD,
THAT'S FINE, THAT'S FINE
BUT NOW LET'S SEE
WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO."
AND SHE DID PROD US AND PUSH US
AND SHE MADE US
ALL REACH FOR THE STARS.
AND AFTER ONE OF THESE MEETINGS
WE'D ALL THINK
ABOUT HOW SHE WOULD GO BACK
AND SAY TO THE PRESIDEN
"NOW, FRANKLIN,
THESE PEOPLE NEED MORE MONEY
AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE SURE
THAT THEY'RE IN THE BUDGET."
AND WE ALL IMAGINED THA
SHE WAS JUST GIVING HIM FITS.
Narrator:
IN HER TRAVELS,
ELEANOR SAW HOW THE DEPRESSION
HAD DEVASTATED ENTIRE REGIONS
AND INDUSTRIES
LIKE SCOTT'S RUN, A MINING
COMMUNITY IN WEST VIRGINIA.
Man:
THE MINERS WERE HALF STARVED
FOR SEVERAL YEARS
LIVING WITH THEIR CHILDREN
WHO WERE HALF STARVED.
THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY
NOWHERE THEY COULD GO.
THEY HAD NO WAY
TO GET OUT OF IT.
FOR TO WASH OUR CLOTHES, WE
CAUGHT RAINWATER IF IT RAINED.
THE BARREL WAS OUTSIDE.
THAT'S HOW YOU WASHED DISHES.
THAT'S HOW YOU GOT WATER
TO TAKE YOUR BATH.
FOR TO DRINK, THERE WAS
A WELL UP ON THE HILL.
IT HAD SULFUR WATER,
AND IT TASTED LIKE ROTTEN EGGS.
IT WAS LIKE EXISTENCE.
YOU EXISTED, YES.
WE EXISTED
BUT IT WASN'
A VERY PLEASANT ONE.
Narrator:
ELEANOR VISITED SCOTT'S RUN AND
WAS MOVED BY THE MINERS' PLIGHT.
SHE THOUGHT THEY WERE
PERFECT CANDIDATES
FOR F.D.R.'S NEW
SUBSISTENCE HOMESTEADS PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM AIMED
TO EASE RURAL POVERTY
BY BUILDING PLANNED COMMUNITIES
WHERE PEOPLE WOULD FARM
SMALL PLOTS
AND WORK IN FACTORIES NEARBY.
THE COMMUNITIES WOULD PROVIDE
HEALTH CARE
AND PROGRESSIVE SCHOOLS.
IN 1933, FAMILIES FROM
SCOTT'S RUN BEGAN CONSTRUCTION
ON THE PROGRAM'S FIRS
COMMUNITY, CALLED ARTHURDALE.
WITH ELEANOR AS THEIR CHAMPION
THEY BUIL
DOZENS OF CLEAN, MODERN HOMES
EACH WITH A GARDEN
LARGE ENOUGH TO GROW VEGETABLES.
A YEAR LATER,
THE FIRST FAMILIES MOVED IN.
Williams:
THAT DAY CHANGED
OUR LIFE COMPLETELY.
THERE WAS OUR LITTLE WHITE HOUSE
SET AGAINST THIS BACKDROP
OF GREEN TREES AND GREEN GRASS.
AND EVERYTHING WAS
NICE AND WHITE AND CLEAN
AND THERE WAS A BATHROOM!
OF ALL THINGS, A BATHROOM
AND IT WAS OURS.
Narrator:
ARTHURDALE, ELEANOR HOPED,
WOULD SHOW
THAT PEOPLE COULD LIF
THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY
IF GIVEN A CHANCE.
Collins:
SHE CAME VERY OFTEN.
I WOULD SAY
AVERAGE ONCE A MONTH.
SHE KNEW THEM IMMENSELY WELL.
MRS. DEGOLIER WOULD COME UP
TO HER, ONE OF THE HOMESTEADERS.
"HELLO, MISS ROOSEVELT."
"OH, HELLO, MISS DEGOLIER.
"HOW YOU DOING?
YOUR SON, HE HAD THE MEASLES
WHEN I WAS LAST HERE."
SHE WAS ON
A ONE-TO-ONE, WARM BASIS.
SHE HAD NO SIDE.
SHE WAS WHAT I CALL "OLD SHOE."
Caller:
GET YOUR NEXT LADY
AND HOOK YOUR ARM.
Narrator:
ELEANOR TRIED
TO USE HER CONNECTIONS
TO BRING IN INDUSTRY.
( calls step)
Narrator:
SHE EVEN PAID
TEACHERS' SALARIES HERSELF.
BUT THE PROJECT HAD NOT BEEN
FULLY THOUGHT THROUGH.
THE HOMESTEADERS COULD NO
GROW ENOUGH TO FEED THEMSELVES.
BUSINESS FAILED TO TAKE ROO
AND MANY RESIDENTS
REMAINED ON RELIEF.
BY THE EARLY 1940s,
CONGRESS LOST INTERES
AND FEDERAL AID
TO ARTHURDALE ENDED.
Cook:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT LEARNED
THAT SHE COULD NOT
JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS
NOMINALLY IN CHARGE
SHE COULD NOT MAKE
SOME THINGS HAPPEN.
AND IT DOESN'T WORK.
AND SHE REALLY LEARNED
ABOUT THE LIMITS OF POWER
AND INFLUENCE FROM ARTHURDALE.
( crowd cheering)
Narrator:
IN 1936, F.D.R. RAN
FOR A SECOND TERM.
HIS OPPONENT,
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE ALF LANDON
ATTACKED NEW DEAL PROGRAMS
LIKE ARTHURDALE.
A LOT OF THE MONEY SPEN
IN THE NAME OF RELIEF
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIEF.
AND A LOT OF MONEY
( loud cheering)
AND A LOT OF THE MONEY
HAS BEEN WASTED.
Narrator:
ELEANOR'S ACTIVIST ROLE AS FIRS
LADY BECAME A CAMPAIGN ISSUE.
NEWSREELS CONTRASTED HER
TO MRS. ALF LANDON.
MRS. LANDON,
REPUBLICANS ASSURED VOTERS
WAS A TRADITIONAL WIFE
AND MOTHER.
Offenhauser:
A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS
WERE REPUBLICANS.
THEY WOULD REFER TO HIM
"NOW, THAT MAN
IN THE WHITE HOUSE"
WAS THE LEAST UNFLATTERING
THING THEY SAID ABOUT HIM.
Man ( on recording):
IN OLDEN DAYS, A GLIMPSE
OF STOCKING ♪
WAS LOOKED ON
AS SOMETHING SHOCKING ♪
BUT NOW GOD KNOWS ♪
ANYTHING GOES. ♪
Offenhauser:
AND SHE I THINK SOME PEOPLE
THOUGHT SHE WAS A BUSYBODY
AND THEY THOUGH
OF THE ROOSEVELTS
AS MORE OR LESS
TRAITORS TO THEIR CLASS.
THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD TODAY ♪
AND GOOD'S BAD TODAY ♪
AND BLACK'S WHITE TODAY ♪
AND DAY'S NIGHT TODAY ♪
Man:
IT HAS BEEN SAID
THAT ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
VIEWED THE WORLD
AS ONE VAST SLUM PROJECT.
SHE WAS ALWAYS FLITTING AROUND
HERE AND THERE
COMING TO SOME COMMUNITY
WHOSE CONDITION SHE DIDN'T LIKE
AND TUT-TUTTING ABOUT I
AND INSISTING
THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.
AND SHE SEEMED TO HAVE
A LARGE POLITICAL EQUIVALEN
OF THE HOUSEWIFE'S DESIRE
TO REDECORATE.
Narrator:
ELEANOR'S VISIT TO A MINE WAS
SATIRIZED IN A FAMOUS CARTOON.
"IT WAS INDICATED TO ME,"
SHE RESPONDED
"THAT THERE WAS CERTAINLY
SOMETHING THE MATTER
WITH A WOMAN WHO WANTED TO
SEE SO MUCH AND KNOW SO MUCH."
Narrator:
LATER SHE ADDED, "EVERY WOMAN
IN PUBLIC LIFE NEEDS TO DEVELOP
SKIN AS TOUGH
AS RHINOCEROS HIDE."
( man singing variation on
lyrics to "Anything Goes")
Narrator:
BUT THE CONTROVERSIES
SWIRLING AROUND ELEANOR'S ROLE
AS FIRST LADY
DID NOT DAMAGE F.D.R.
HE WON BY A LANDSLIDE.
THE ROOSEVELTS HAD BECOME
EXTRAORDINARY
POLITICAL PARTNERS.
Ward:
SHE KEPT AT HIM ON ISSUES
WHICH HE MIGHT HAVE, IN RUSH
OF BUSINESS, WANTED TO OVERLOOK.
SHE KEPT HIM TO A HIGH STANDARD.
ANYBODY WHO EVER SAW HER
LOCK EYES WITH HIM AND SAY
"NOW, FRANKLIN, YOU SHOULD"
NEVER FORGOT IT.
AND EVEN THOUGH HE THOUGHT HER
UNREALISTIC SOMETIMES
HE NEVER LOST HIS AFFECTION
OR HIS WISH TO DO
WHAT HE SHOULD DO
BECAUSE SHE WANTED HIM TO DO IT.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
VERY OFTEN HE WOULD BAIT ME
INTO GIVING AN OPINION
BY STATING AS HIS OWN
A POINT OF VIEW
WITH WHICH HE KNEW
I WOULD DISAGREE.
I REMEMBER ONE OCCASION
I BECAME EXTREMELY VEHEMEN
AND IRRITATED.
THE NEXT DAY,
TO MY COMPLETE SURPRISE
HE CALMLY STATED AS HIS OWN THE
ARGUMENTS THAT I HAD GIVEN HIM.
Man:
I THINK THEY PLAYED A GAME
ON THIS THING
THAT SHE WOULD STATE
HER OWN POSITION
AND IF IT GOT SHOT DOWN
AND ROOSEVELT WAS CRITICIZED
HE WOULD JUST TURN AROUND AND
SAY, "OH, YOU KNOW MY MISSUS."
IN OTHER WORDS, F.D.R. USED
ELEANOR TO TEST THE LIMITS.
( applause)
ONE INSTANCE, I THINK,
WHERE SHE WAS TESTING LIMITS WAS
IN THE MARIAN ANDERSON AFFAIR.
( singing operatically)
Narrator:
IN 1939, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
SINGER MARIAN ANDERSON
WAS DENIED PERMISSION TO PERFORM
IN CONSTITUTION HALL
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
BY THE DAUGHTERS
OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
ELEANOR, WHOSE FAMILY
HAD FOUGHT IN THE REVOLUTION
BELONGED TO THE D.A.R.
IN PROTEST,
SHE RESIGNED HER MEMBERSHIP.
Gibson:
BY THEN, SHE HAD
THE SELF-CONFIDENCE
AND THE STRENGTH
TO STAND ALONE
BECAUSE SHE KNEW IN THE DEPTHS
OF HER SOUL THAT THIS WAS WRONG.
Narrator:
ELEANOR WORKED QUIETLY
BEHIND THE SCENES.
SHE HELPED ARRANGE FOR ANDERSON
TO SING AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL.
Newsreel announcer:
75,000 MASS BEFORE
LINCOLN MEMORIAL
TO HEAR MARIAN ANDERSON,
COLORED CONTRALTO
MAKE HER CAPITAL DEBUT A
THE GREAT EMANCIPATOR'S SHRINE.
( music starts)
MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THEE ♪
SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY ♪
TO THEE WE SING ♪
Man:
"MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THEE,"
HER FIRST SONG
SHE PUT SUCH GREAT EMPHASIS
UPON "LIBERTY!"
THE D.A.R.'S REFUSAL
TO ALLOW HER TO SING
WAS A BREACH OF THAT LIBERTY.
SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY. ♪
AND THERE WERE TEARS
IN MY EYES.
I THINK THERE WERE
TEARS IN THE EYES
OF ALMOST EVERYBODY
IN THAT HUGE CROWD.
( enthusiastic applause)
Man:
I'M NOT TOO SURE
THAT AMERICA REALIZED
WHAT THAT CONCERT SYMBOLIZED
( applause and cheering)
BECAUSE IT STRUCK AT THE VERY
DEPTHS OF RACISM IN AMERICA.
AND EVERYBODY KNEW THA
MRS. ROOSEVELT WAS BEHIND THIS.
Farmer:
THIS WAS SOMETHING UNIQUE
HAVING A FIRST LADY IN THE WHITE
HOUSE WHO WAS A GOOD FRIEND.
SHE WAS MUCH MORE
OF A FRIEND THAN FRANKLIN.
FRANKLIN WAS A POLITICIAN
AND HE WEIGHED
THE POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES
OF EVERY ANSWER
AND EVERY STEP THAT HE TOOK.
HE WAS A GOOD POLITICIAN, TOO
BUT SHE SPOKE OUT OF CONSCIENCE
AND ACTED
AS A CONSCIENTIOUS PERSON.
THAT WAS DIFFERENT.
Marian Anderson:
AVE ♪
MARIA ♪
( piano accompanying softly)
REINE MAGD ♪
DER ERDE ♪
Narrator:
THAT EASTER SUNDAY IN 1939
THE WORLD WAS JUST MONTHS AWAY
FROM THE START OF WAR IN EUROPE.
THE NEW DEAL PROGRAMS
THAT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT HAD
WORKED SO HARD TO FOSTER
WERE ALREADY BEING CUT BACK
AS HER HUSBAND STRUGGLED
TO ARM AMERICA.
( "Ave Maria" continues)
IN THE TURBULENT TIMES AHEAD
ELEANOR WOULD BE
BITTERLY ATTACKED
FOR WHAT SHE BELIEVED IN
AND ONCE AGAIN, SHE WOULD FACE
LOSS AND BETRAYAL.
( cheering on radio)
Radio announcer:
Now the long-awaited hour,
the nominations.
The Honorable Lester Hill,
junior senator from Alabama
Narrator:
ON JULY 17, 1940
ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
WAS AT HER HOME, VAL-KILL
LISTENING TO THE RADIO BROADCAS
OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CONVENTION IN CHICAGO.
Announcer:
Bedlam begins.
Narrator:
WITH THE WORLD AT WAR
IN EUROPE AND ASIA
THE DELEGATES HAD NOMINATED
FRANKLIN ROOSEVEL
TO RUN FOR AN UNPRECEDENTED
THIRD TERM AS PRESIDENT.
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT!
Man:
AND HENRY WALLACE
FOR THE NOMINATION
OF THE VICE-PRESIDENCY
OF THE UNITED STATES.
Narrator:
NOW HE SENT WORD
THAT HE WANTED
THE CONTROVERSIAL SECRETARY
OF AGRICULTURE, HENRY WALLACE
AS HIS RUNNING MATE.
THE DELEGATES
THREATENED TO REVOLT.
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE,
ROOSEVELT THREATENED NOT TO RUN.
THE CONVENTION WAS SPINNING
OUT OF CONTROL.
PARTY LEADERS AND
AN ANXIOUS F.D.R. TURNED
TO HIS STRONGEST ALLY TO HELP
HOLD THE CONVENTION TOGETHER.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
I GOT A CALL FROM
THE CONVENTION
I CALLED FRANKLIN AND HE SAID,
"WELL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO?"
AND I SAID,
"NO, I WOULDN'T LIKE TO GO.
I'M VERY BUSY, AND YOU TOLD ME
I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO."
HE SAID, "WELL, PERHAPS
THEY SEEM TO THINK
IT MIGHT BE WELL
IF YOU CAME OUT."
AND I SAID, "BUT DO YOU
REALLY WANT ME TO GO?"
AND HE SAID, "WELL, PERHAPS
IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA."
AND SO THAT MEANT, I SUPPOSE,
THAT I HAD TO GO.
( crowd roaring)
Eleanor Roosevelt:
PANDEMONIUM HAD BROKEN LOOSE
IN THE HALL
AND YOU COULDN'
HEAR YOURSELF SPEAK.
THE NOISE WAS
SOMETHING TERRIBLE.
( shouting, whistling, booing)
I WENT FORWARD AND STOOD
AN TO MY SURPRISE
AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S, I IMAGINE
THERE WAS SILENCE
IN A VERY SHORT TIME.
DELEGATES TO THE CONVENTION
THIS IS NO ORDINARY TIME.
YOU CANNOT TREAT IT AS YOU WOULD
TREAT AN ORDINARY NOMINATION
IN AN ORDINARY TIME.
Lash:
SHE TALKED VERY BRIEFLY,
WITHOUT NOTES
THOUGH SHE HAD VERY
CAREFULLY PREPARED IT.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
YOU WILL HAVE TO RISE
ABOVE CONSIDERATIONS
WHICH ARE NARROW AND PARTISAN.
YOU MUST KNOW
Bain:
IT JUST BROUGHT US ALL UP.
SHE WAS ELECTRIC IS ABOU
THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
THIS IS ONLY CARRIED BY A UNITED
PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEIR COUNTRY
AND WHO WILL LIVE FOR I
TO THE FULLEST OF THEIR ABILITY
WITH A DETERMINATION
TO BRING THE WORLD
TO A SAFER AND
HAPPIER CONDITION.
( wild applause and cheering)
Lash:
THERE WAS PANDEMONIUM,
SO MUCH APPLAUSE.
SHE PULLED IT TOGETHER.
THEY AGREED TO THE PRESIDENT'S
CHOICE FOR VICE-PRESIDENT.
AND IT WAS A MIRACLE.
Bain:
PEOPLE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
SOME PEOPLE CRIED
AND SOME PEOPLE JUST
IT WAS JUST AMAZING.
Lash:
THE PRESIDENT CALLED HER,
AND SAID
"THIS WAS A JOB
WONDERFULLY DONE.
IT WAS JUST MARVELOUS."
AND MRS. ROOSEVEL
SAT THERE AND BEAMED.
Narrator:
ELEANOR EXULTED IN HER TRIUMPH
BUT THE ELECTION ITSELF
FILLED HER WITH DREAD.
MORE THAN A QUARTER CENTURY
IN POLITICS
HAD TAKEN A HEAVY TOLL
ON HER FAMILY.
JUST BEFORE ELECTION DAY,
ELEANOR WROTE
"FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOIN
"I'D GIVE ANYTHING
TO LEAVE WASHINGTON
"AND IF FRANKLIN IS ELECTED,
I WONDER IF THE AMOUNT HE CAN DO
WILL BE WORTH THE SACRIFICE
THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO MAKE."
PUBLICLY, ELEANOR DID NOT REVEAL
HOW MUCH SHE WORRIED
ABOUT HER FAMILY.
ALL THE ROOSEVELT CHILDREN
HAD TROUBLED LIVES.
THEY STRUGGLED WITH FEELINGS OF
JEALOUSY, WITH FAILED MARRIAGES
AND FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.
Eleanor:
AMONG THE FIVE CHILDREN,
THERE WERE 19 MARRIAGES.
PARTLY THAT MIGHT BE
DUE TO THE PUZZLEMEN
OF BEING CHILDREN OF FAMOUS
PEOPLE, AND NOT KNOWING
WHO WAS YOUR FRIEND REALLY
OR WHO WANTED TO GET CLOSE
TO YOUR PARENTS.
Lash:
MRS. ROOSEVELT TRIED VERY HARD
TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THEM
THAT ACCESS TO THEIR FATHER WAS
REALLY OFTEN THE MAIN PURPOSE
OF WHY PEOPLE FELL
ALL OVER THEMSELVES FOR THEM.
BUT IT WAS DIFFICUL
FOR THEM TO BELIEVE.
THE WHITE HOUSE IS
A VERY SEDUCTIVE PLACE TO BE.
IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM
AS THE CHILDREN NOT JUST OF THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
BUT OF ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
AS WELL.
I MEAN, THEY SORT OF HAD
A DOUBLE WHAMMY.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
IF THEY WANTED TO REALLY
TALK TO THEIR FATHER
THEY HAD TO ASK
FOR AN APPOINTMENT.
AND EVEN WHEN THEY
GOT THE APPOINTMEN
SOMETIMES AFFAIRS OF STATE
WOULD BE SO IMPORTAN
THAT THEY DIDN'T GET THE FULL
ATTENTION OF THEIR FATHER
AND THIS IS A VERY DIFFICUL
THING FOR YOUNGSTERS TO ACCEPT.
Narrator:
NOW 56, ELEANOR
STILL BLAMED HERSELF
FOR NOT HAVING BEEN
A BETTER MOTHER.
FEELINGS OF GUILT AND INADEQUACY
CONTINUED TO SEND HER
INTO FIERCE DEPRESSIONS.
Lash:
WHEN SHE HAD ONE
OF HER "GRISELDA MOODS"
THERE WAS PRACTICALLY
NOTHING YOU COULD DO.
I NEVER FULLY UNDERSTOOD
WHAT BROUGHT ON
THIS QUITE SUDDEN SADNESS
AND WITHDRAWAL.
SHE COULD TURN TO ICE.
I WAS SCARED TO DEATH
OF THOSE MOODS.
Eleanor:
I THINK THAT SHE WAS A MOODY
EVEN, MAYBE, SAD PERSON
BECAUSE SHE FELT IN HERSELF
A LACK OF ABILITY
TO BE SPONTANEOUS.
I THINK SHE WANTED
TO BE A HAPPY PERSON.
I HAVE AN IMAGE OF HER
IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
I WAS LEAVING, AND SHE
CAME TO THE DOOR WITH ME
AND SHE STOOD OUT UNDER THE
PORTICO, AND JUST STOOD THERE
WAVING GOOD-BYE WHILE
WE DROVE DOWN THE DRIVEWAY.
AND I HAD THIS TERRIBLE FEELING
OF A LONELY, LONELY PERSON.
( explosions)
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
I AM SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGH
AT A VERY SERIOUS MOMEN
IN OUR HISTORY.
ARMY AND NAVY OFFICIALS
HAVE BEEN WITH THE PRESIDEN
ALL AFTERNOON.
IN FACT, THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR
WAS TALKING TO THE PRESIDEN
AT THE VERY TIME THAT JAPAN'S
AIRSHIPS WERE BOMBING
OUR CITIZENS IN HAWAII
AND THE PHILIPPINES.
Narrator:
THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR
THAT BROUGHT AMERICA
INTO WORLD WAR II
CHANGED ELEANOR AND FRANKLIN'S
POLITICAL PARTNERSHIP.
F.D.R.'S PRIORITY NOW
WAS TO WIN THE WAR
AND HE HAD LESS AND LESS TIME
TO SPEND ON DOMESTIC
ISSUES WITH HER.
AS THE COUNTRY MOBILIZED,
THEIR FOUR SONS ENLISTED.
Lash:
SHE KNEW THEY ALL WOULD
HAVE TO GO TO WAR.
AMERICAN YOUNG PEOPLE, SO MANY
OF THEM SHE HAD THE FEELING
WOULD DIE, AND SHE
WAS DEEPLY DISTURBED.
( train whistle blowing)
SHE FEARED THAT HER SONS
WOULDN'T ALL COME BACK
BECAUSE THE PROBABILITY
WAS THEY WOULDN'T
AND IT UNDID HER.
Narrator:
ELEANOR STILL CONFIDED MANY OF
HER FEELINGS TO LORENA HICKOCK
BUT THE INTENSITY
OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP
HAD DIMINISHED OVER THE YEARS.
NOW ELEANOR OFTEN TURNED
FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPOR
TO A YOUNG MAN THE SAME AGE
AS HER SONS, JOSEPH LASH.
LASH HAD BEEN A STUDENT LEADER
AFFILIATED WITH THE AMERICAN
YOUTH CONGRESS.
WHEN A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
INVESTIGATED FOREIGN INFLUENCE
ON AMERICAN POLITICAL GROUPS,
THE YOUTH CONGRESS WAS TARGETED.
DESPITE WARNINGS THAT MANY
OF ITS MEMBERS WERE COMMUNISTS
ELEANOR BELIEVED THA
THEY WERE SIMPLY IDEALISTIC
AND SHE DEFENDED
THEIR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
Man:
WHEN I WAS TESTIFYING,
MRS. ROOSEVELT APPEARED
AND THE HEARINGS
WEREN'T FINISHED
AND WE WERE SUPPOSED
TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY.
SHE SAID,
"I CAN TAKE SIX OF YOU."
SO SHE SCOOPED US INTO
HER LIMOUSINE, AND LO AND BEHOLD
WE WERE HAVING DINNER
WITH THE PRESIDENT.
AND THAT NIGHT, WE SPEN
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
AND THE NEXT MORNING
SHE CAME TO THE HEARINGS AGAIN.
THE HEARING ROOM CAME ALIVE.
EVERYBODY WAS ON THEIR TOES.
Man:
YOU ADMITTED
THAT CELESTE STRACK
IS A MEMBER
OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY.
Joe Lash:
NO, THAT WAS YOUR STATEMENT.
I AGREED WITH IT.
Man:
YOU AGREED WITH IT.
Joe Lash:
WE SOMEHOW SORT OF HIT IT OFF,
AND FROM THAT POINT ON
IT BECAME, I THINK
FOR SEVERAL YEARS
HER CLOSEST FRIENDSHIP.
Man:
THEY ENJOYED
THE SAME KIND OF JOKES
THE SENSE OF HUMOR,
BUT ABOVE ALL
THEY BELONGED TO THE SAME PAR
OF THE HUMAN EQUATION
AND THEY HAD
THE SAME KIND OF MISSION
THE SAME KIND OF WAY
OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD.
Lash:
IT WAS REAL LOVE ON BOTH SIDES.
JOE ADORED HER.
I MEAN, HERE WAS SOMEONE
LIKE NOBODY HE'D EVER SEEN.
CERTAINLY IT WAS A FRIENDSHIP
BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN
BUT THERE WAS
NO SEXUAL PART TO IT.
AND IT MADE BOTH OF THEM
VERY EAGER TO SEE EACH OTHER
AND TO TALK TOGETHER.
Narrator:
ELEANOR DID NOT SEEM TO REALIZE
THEIR FRIENDSHIP
MIGHT BE MISCONSTRUED.
IN 1942, LASH WAS ASSIGNED
TO AN AIR BASE IN ILLINOIS.
BECAUSE OF HIS RADICAL
BACKGROUND
MILITARY COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
MONITORED HIS ACTIVITIES
INCLUDING TWO WEEKENDS
HE SPENT WITH ELEANOR
ONE AT THE BLACKSTONE HOTEL
IN CHICAGO.
Lash:
JOE HAD A ROOM NEXT TO HERS
AND CAME INTO HER ROOM.
HE WAS VERY TIRED.
HE HAD NOT SLEPT ALL NIGHT.
AND SHE SAID, "WHY DON'
YOU LIE DOWN, JOE?"
AND SAT ON THE BED NEXT TO HIM
AND TALKED WITH HIM.
AND I'M SURE THAT WAS ALL.
Man:
MRS. ROOSEVELT WAS ADVISED
BY OFFICIALS OF
THE BLACKSTONE HOTEL
THAT MILITARY INTELLIGENCE
HAD BEEN MONITORING HER
DURING HER STAY.
SHE HAD REAL DIFFICULTIES
WITH THE SURVEILLANCE
OF HER ACTIVITIES.
SHE WANTED TO PRESERVE HER
PRIVACY, AND SHE WANTED TO HAVE
THE FREEDOM TO MOVE AROUND
AS ANY OTHER AMERICAN.
SO SHE COMPLAINED TO WHITE HOUSE
AIDE HARRY HOPKINS
WHO, IN TURN, CONVEYED
HER DISPLEASURE
TO GENERAL OF THE ARMY
GEORGE MARSHALL.
Narrator:
MARSHALL PUT A STOP
TO THE SURVEILLANCE
BUT THE AGENTS GAVE THEIR FILE
WITH ITS ALLEGATION
OF A SEXUAL AFFAIR
TO F.B.I. DIRECTOR
J. EDGAR HOOVER.
Trude Lash:
IF THEY HAD LISTENED
TO HOW THEY TALKED
THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND OU
WHAT THIS RELATIONSHIP
WAS ALL ABOUT CLOSE.
SHE MIGHT HAVE CALLED HIM
"JOE DEAREST," AS SHE DID.
BUT THIS WAS THEN
THE HOOVER INTERPRETATION.
HOOVER KNOWS EVERYTHING
ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN ALL
THE BEDROOMS IN THE NATION.
AND IF HE DIDN'T KNOW,
HE'D INVENT IT.
Narrator:
THIS WAS NOT THE F.B.I.'S
FIRST REPORT ON ELEANOR.
Cook:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT'S F.B.I. FILE
IS ONE OF THE WONDERS
OF THE WESTERN WORLD.
IT IS ONE OF THE LARGES
INDIVIDUAL FILES
THAT HOOVER COMPILED.
AND IT GOES ON
FOR OVER 3,000 PAGES.
SHE WRITES TO JOE LASH,
THE LETTER IS IN HER FILE.
SHE VISITS WITH JOE LASH,
THE VISIT IS IN HER FILE.
ANYTHING SHE SAYS AGAINS
SEGREGATION, AGAINST LYNCHING
IS IN THAT FILE.
THEY ARE FOLLOWING HER
EVERYWHERE.
Narrator:
HOOVER'S NOTES REVEAL
HIS INTENSE DISLIKE OF ELEANOR
AND THE F.B.I. WOULD WATCH HER
FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.
Theoharis:
IT REFLECTED A CONVICTION ON THE
PART OF SENIOR F.B.I. OFFICIALS
THAT MRS. ROOSEVELT'S ADVOCACY
OF RACIAL EQUALITY
WAS INIMICAL
TO THE NATIONAL INTEREST.
HE FOUND HER A THREA
TO AMERICAN SOCIETY AND VALUES.
FIRE!
Reporter:
FAMOUS ALL-NEGRO
U.S. 92nd DIVISION
FIRST COLORED TROOPS IN EUROPE.
Woman:
WHOEVER STARTED THIS WAR
REALLY STARTED A MESS ♪
NOW THEY TOOK MY MAN BECAUSE
THEY WANTED THE BEST ♪
Narrator:
FOR ELEANOR, THE WAR AGAINS
FASCIST GERMANY AND JAPAN
MADE AMERICA'S OWN FAILINGS
ESPECIALLY RACISM
EVEN MORE INTOLERABLE.
HER PUBLIC SUPPORT OF RACIAL
EQUALITY ENRAGED MANY AMERICANS.
Jarrett:
WORLD WAR II EXPOSED A GREA
CONTRADICTION IN AMERICAN LIFE.
HERE YOU WERE FIGHTING HITLER
THE WORLD'S PREMIER IDEOLOGUE
OF RACISM.
AND IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY
IF YOU WERE A BLACK SOLDIER
IN A UNIFORM
YOU HAD TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS
ABOUT YOUR LIFE.
THEY WERE STILL LYNCHING
AFRICAN AMERICANS
HANGING THEM UP,
SETTING THEM ON FIRE
SHOOTING THEM LIKE
THEY WERE GARBAGE AND DOGS.
Narrator:
DURING THE WAR,
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
BLACK AND WHITE MOVED TO
NORTHERN CITIES LIKE DETROI
TO WORK IN DEFENSE INDUSTRIES.
Jarrett:
IN DETROIT, YOU HAD A LO
OF WORKERS THERE
THAT SAID, "WE JUST CAN'
ACCEPT BLACK PEOPLE.
"WE CANNOT ACCEPT BLACK PEOPLE
IN ANY KIND OF JOBS
THAT WE HAD DECLARED RIGIDLY IN
OUR MINDS NOT TO BE BLACK JOBS."
Narrator:
BY 1942, THE ATMOSPHERE
IN DETROIT WAS UGLY.
BLACKS AND WHITES CLASHED
IN HOUSING PROJECTS
AND ON STREET CORNERS.
AGAIN AND AGAIN,
ELEANOR CALLED FOR TOLERANCE
FOR EQUAL HOUSING AND JOB
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AMERICANS.
AND SHE WROTE ONE MEMO
AFTER ANOTHER
WARNING F.D.R.
ABOUT RISING RACIAL TENSIONS.
( gunshot)
(siren wailing)
ON JUNE 20, 1943,
ELEANOR'S WORST FEARS CAME TRUE.
RIOTS RIPPED THROUGH DETROIT.
WHITE MOBS ROAMED THE STREETS
HAULING BLACKS
OUT OF CARS AND BEATING THEM.
AFRICAN AMERICANS
RESPONDED IN KIND.
THE NEXT MORNING, FEDERAL TROOPS
ARRIVED AND RESTORED ORDER.
NEARLY 1,000 PEOPLE
WERE INJURED.
25 BLACKS AND NINE WHITES
WERE DEAD.
AS AMERICA TRIED
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD HAPPENED
SOUTHERN NEWSPAPERS FOUND
AN EASY SCAPEGOAT.
Jarrett:
AND OF COURSE,
WHO DID THEY BLAME?
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT,
AND THEY LAID IT ON HER.
THEY ACCUSED HER
OF BEING A COMMUNIST.
THEY ACCUSED HER OF EVERYTHING.
Harris:
I ASKED MRS. ROOSEVELT.
ONE DAY, I SAID,
"WHY DO YOU DO SO MANY THINGS
THAT MAKE YOU SO CONTROVERSIAL?"
SHE SAID, "I HAVE ACCESS
TO THE PRESIDENT.
"AND IF I DON'T USE THAT ACCESS
"TO DO THINGS THAT NEED
TO BE DONE IN THIS COUNTRY
"NEED TO BE DONE FOR PEOPLE
I WOULD BE SORELY REMISS
AND IRRESPONSIBLE."
Narrator:
IN THE WEEKS FOLLOWING DETROI
ELEANOR AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS
APPEALED TO F.D.R.
TO SPEAK TO THE NATION
ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF RACE.
BUT ROOSEVELT FEL
HIS HANDS WERE TIED
BY POWERFUL WHITE SOUTHERNERS
IN CONGRESS
WHOSE VOTES HE NEEDED
FOR THE WAR EFFORT.
HE HAD A WAR TO WIN, HE SAID.
OUR ULTIMATE OBJECTIVES
IN THIS WAR
CONTINUE TO BE BERLIN AND TOKYO.
( explosions)
Narrator:
THE CAMPAIGN IN THE PACIFIC
WAS ONE OF THE TOUGHES
AND BLOODIEST OF THE WAR.
FOR MONTHS,
ELEANOR HAD WANTED TO VISI
THE TROOPS FIGHTING THERE.
NOW F.D.R. AGREED
THINKING THE TRIP MIGH
REDUCE HER NEGATIVE PRESS.
IN AUGUST, 1943
SHE SET OFF ALONE,
WITHOUT EVEN HER SECRETARY.
SHE WENT WITH TREPIDATION.
SHE KNEW THAT VICIOUS
"ELEANOR" STORIES
WERE COMMON AMONG THE MEN.
Gurewitsch:
WORD HAD GOT OU
THAT A WOMAN WAS ARRIVING.
FOR SECURITY REASONS
THEY COULDN'T SAY I
WAS THE PRESIDENT'S WIFE.
AND SHE SAID SHE ALWAYS FEL
HOW DISAPPOINTED THEY WOULD BE
BECAUSE THEY WERE EXPECTING
A HOLLYWOOD STARLE
AND ALL THEY GOT WAS HER.
Narrator:
ON THE ADVICE OF HER SONS, WHO
WERE ALL SERVING IN THE MILITARY
SHE INSISTED ON SPENDING TIME
NOT JUST WITH THE OFFICERS,
BUT WITH THE ENLISTED MEN.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
JUST AS THE MARINES
WERE ORDERED
TO LEAVE GUADALCANAL
AN OFFICER FOUND A PRIVATE
FEELING VERY SAD,
LOOKING VERY DEPRESSED.
AND HE SAID,
"WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?"
AND HE SAID,
"OH, I JUST CAN'T GO HOME.
I HAVEN'T SHOT A JAP."
( laughter)
SO THE OFFICER SAID
"WELL, LISTEN,
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.
"YOU GO UP TO
THAT RIDGE OVER THERE
"AND JUMP UP ALL OF A SUDDEN AND
SAY, 'TO HELL WITH HIROHITO!'
"AND THEY'LL JUMP UP,
OTHER PEOPLE ALL AROUND
AND IF YOU SHOOT FIRST,
YOU'LL GET A JAP."
( laughter)
SO HE CAME BY
A LITTLE WHILE LATER
AND THE MARINE
WAS STILL LOOKING VERY GLOOMY
AND HE SAID, "DID YOU DO
WHAT I TOLD YOU TO DO?"
AND, UM, HE SAID,
"YES, SIR, YES.
"I RAN UP THERE AND I DID
JUST WHAT YOU TOLD ME TO DO
"AND I SAID,
'TO HELL WITH HIROHITO!'
"AND THEY JUMPED UP,
JUST AS YOU TOLD ME THEY WOULD
BUT THEY ALL SHOUTED,
'TO HELL WITH ROOSEVELT!'"
( loud laughter)
Narrator:
THE MEN LOVED HER.
ADMIRAL HALSEY,
COMMANDER OF THE PACIFIC FLEE
HAD OPPOSED HER VISIT,
BUT HE CHANGED HIS MIND.
"I MARVELED AT HER HARDIHOOD,
BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL"
HE REPORTED.
"SHE SAW PATIENTS
WHO WERE GRIEVOUSLY WOUNDED.
"I MARVELED MOS
AT THEIR EXPRESSIONS
"AS SHE LEANED OVER THEM.
IT WAS A SIGH
I WILL NEVER FORGET."
"SHE ALONE
ACCOMPLISHED MORE GOOD
THAN ANY OTHER PERSON
WHO PASSED THROUGH MY AREA."
"THE SUFFERING OF THE MEN,"
ELEANOR SAID
"LEFT A MARK FROM WHICH
I THINK I SHALL NEVER BE FREE."
BY 1944, THE WAR HAD
TAKEN ITS TOLL ON F.D.R.
62 YEARS OLD, HE HAD BEEN
PRESIDENT FOR 11 YEARS.
NOW HE SOUGHT A FOURTH TERM.
Lash:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT FELT THA
HE DESPERATELY NEEDED REST.
ON THE OTHER HAND
SHE DID NOT FEEL
THAT SHE COULD SAY OR PUSH
VERY HARD AGAINST HIS RUNNING
BECAUSE THE WAR WAS ON AND HE
FELT HE HAD TO FINISH THE JOB.
AS I STAND HERE TODAY, HAVING
TAKEN THE SOLEMN OATH OF OFFICE
IN THE PRESENCE OF
MY FELLOW COUNTRYMEN
Seagraves:
THE GRANDCHILDREN CAME BACK
FOR THE INAUGURATION.
THERE WERE 13 OR 14 OF US
AND WE BROUGH
OUR HOMEWORK WITH US
AND STAYED A MONTH
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
AND THEN WHEN I HAD TO GO BACK
TO SCHOOL IN SAN FRANCISCO
I POPPED INTO THE OVAL OFFICE
AND SAID GOOD-BYE.
AND I SAID, "I'LL SEE YOU
THIS SUMMER, PAPA."
AND HE SAID, "YES.
GOOD-BYE, OLD THING."
BUT I NOTICED
HOW THIN HE LOOKED.
HE DIDN'T QUITE
FILL OUT HIS CLOTHES
AND I WONDERED
HOW LONG HE COULD GO ON.
Ward:
FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT WAS ILL
AND SUFFERING FROM HEART DISEASE
AND ELEANOR ROOSEVELT SEEMED
ODDLY OBLIVIOUS OF THIS
AND SHE WOULD NAG HIM
TO DO THINGS
HELPING A PARTICULAR GROUP OF
REFUGEES, THAT SORT OF THING
WHEN HE WAS TRYING
TO, A, STAY ALIVE
AND, B, KEEP THE BIG PICTURE
IN HIS MIND.
Curtis:
VERY RARELY DID SHE BRING IN
PAPERS TO THE COCKTAIL HOUR
BECAUSE THAT WAS HIS HOUR,
BUT IN ONE INSTANCE
MY GRANDMOTHER DID BRING
A LOT OF PAPERS IN
AND HE MUST HAVE
BEEN VERY, VERY TIRED
AND SO HE PICKED UP THE PAPERS
AND HE FLOPPED THEM DOWN
IN FRONT OF ANNA, MY MOTHER
AND SAID,
"SIS, YOU HANDLE THESE."
AND IT WAS TOTALLY
OUT OF CHARACTER FOR HIM.
SO MY GRANDMOTHER JUST LEFT IN
HURT AND WENT BACK TO HER STUDY.
AND MY MOTHER
DID SAY TO HER FATHER
"PA, I THINK YOU'VE
GOT TO MAKE AMENDS."
AND HE SAID, "YES, I KNOW."
SO HE HAD HIMSELF WHEELED IN
AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT HE SAID
BUT SHE CAME DOWN
TO SUPPER WITH HIM.
Narrator:
F.D.R. DEPENDED MORE AND MORE
ON THEIR DAUGHTER ANNA.
UNLIKE HER MOTHER, ANNA MADE
NO DEMANDS ON HER FATHER.
SHE WAS WARM AND CHEERFUL
AND SHE CAREFULLY WATCHED
HIS HEALTH.
TO ELEANOR'S
GREAT DISAPPOINTMEN
HE ASKED ANNA, NOT HER,
TO ACCOMPANY HIM TO ALTA
FOR HIS MEETING WITH JOSEPH
STALIN AND WINSTON CHURCHILL.
MR. SPEAKER,
MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESS
Narrator:
WHEN F.D.R. RETURNED
HIS FAILING HEALTH
WAS APPARENT TO ALL.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL PARDON ME
FOR AN UNUSUAL POSTURE
OF SITTING DOWN DURING
THE PRESENTATION
OF WHAT I WANT TO SAY
BUT I KNOW THAT YOU WILL REALIZE
THAT IT MAKES I
A LOT EASIER FOR ME.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
WHEN FRANKLIN WENT TO WARM
SPRINGS IN APRIL OF 1945
HE SAID TO ME THAT HE FEL
THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS
I HAD TO DO
AND I HAD BETTER WAI
AND COME DOWN LATER.
HE WOULD TAKE TWO PEOPLE WHOM
HE ENJOYED HAVING WITH HIM
MARGARET SUCKLEY
AND LAURA DELANO
AND HE SAID IN AN AMUSING WAY
THAT HE DID NOT HAVE TO MAKE
ANY EFFORT WITH EITHER OF THEM.
( laughs)
Narrator:
ELEANOR STAYED BEHIND
IN WASHINGTON.
ON APRIL 12, SHE ATTENDED
A FUNDRAISING EVEN
AT THE SULGRAVE CLUB.
JUST BEFORE 5:00,
SHE RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL
TELLING HER
TO COME HOME IMMEDIATELY.
"I GOT INTO THE CAR
"AND SAT WITH CLENCHED HANDS
ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE."
"IN MY HEART OF HEARTS,
I KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED."
FRANKLIN HAD DIED THAT AFTERNOON
OF A BRAIN HEMORRHAGE.
ELEANOR TRAVELED THROUGH
THE NIGHT TO WARM SPRINGS
AND THERE SHE LEARNED
WHY HE HAD DISCOURAGED HER
FROM GOING WITH HIM.
Franklin:
LAURA DELANO MADE IT HER
BUSINESS TO TELL ELEANOR
THAT LUCY MERCER WAS WITH F.D.R.
WHEN HE DIED IN WARM SPRINGS
WHICH WAS DEVASTATING
FOR ELEANOR TO LEARN
THAT THE WOMAN F.D.R. HAD
FIRST HAD AN AFFAIR WITH IN 1917
WAS THERE AT HIS SIDE
WHEN HE DIED.
Cook:
AND SHE DISCOVERS ALSO
THAT HER DAUGHTER ANNA
HAD ARRANGED
FOR MANY OTHER VISITS
DURING THE WAR YEARS
BETWEEN LUCY MERCER
AND HER HUSBAND.
AND THIS IS A VERY BIG BLOW
TO HER PRIDE, TO HER HEART.
Narrator:
AS FRANKLIN'S BODY WAS CARRIED
ON THE JOURNEY TO WASHINGTON
ELEANOR WAS BARELY SEEN.
FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS,
FOR BETTER AND FOR WORSE
ELEANOR'S LIFE HAD BEEN
INTERTWINED WITH FRANKLIN'S.
NOW IN HER GRIEF AND HER ANGER
SHE FELT NUMB, DETACHED
FROM THE NATION'S SORROW.
"IT WAS ALMOST AS THOUGH
I HAD ERECTED SOMEONE
"A LITTLE OUTSIDE OF MYSELF
WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT'S WIFE,"
SHE WROTE.
"I WAS LOST SOMEWHERE
DEEP DOWN INSIDE MYSELF."
JUST DAYS
AFTER F.D.R.'S FUNERAL
ELEANOR MOVED
OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE
BACK TO HER HOME, VAL-KILL.
SHE HAD TIME TO REFLEC
ON FRANKLIN'S DEATH
HIS FINAL BETRAYAL,
AND ANNA'S COMPLICITY.
Cook:
HER HEART HAS BEEN
REALLY SHREDDED.
IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR HER
TO FORGIVE HER DAUGHTER.
AND SHE DOES FORGIVE HER
AND SHE EVEN UNDERSTANDS
HOW IT HAPPENED.
Narrator:
AS SHE STRUGGLED
WITH HER FEELINGS
THE DEPTH OF HER MOURNING
SURPRISED HER.
"MY HUSBAND AND I HAD COME
THROUGH THE YEARS
"WITH AN ACCEPTANCE OF EACH
OTHER'S FAULTS AND FOIBLES
"WARM AFFECTION AND AGREEMEN
ON ESSENTIAL VALUES.
WE DEPENDED ON EACH OTHER."
Lash:
SHE WAS MUCH MORE
INTIMATELY CONNECTED
WITH THE PRESIDEN
THAN SHE THOUGHT.
SHE TOOK IT FOR GRANTED
THAT SHE COULD GO TO THE OVAL
OFFICE AND ASK HIM QUESTIONS
THAT HE KNEW THE ANSWERS TO
AND NOBODY ELSE DID.
SHE FELT THAT THE WARMTH
OF GOING TO THE PRESIDENT'S
BEDROOM IN THE MORNING
AND OF TALKING WITH HIM
OF JOKING WITH HIM
AT THE DINNER TABLE
ALL THAT HAD BEEN THERE
AND NOT QUESTIONED
AND NOT PARTICULARLY
ACKNOWLEDGED.
BUT NOW IT WASN'T THERE.
Narrator:
IN MAY 1945, JUST ONE MONTH
AFTER FRANKLIN'S DEATH
GERMANY SURRENDERED
TO THE ALLIES.
BY AUGUST, WORLD WAR II
WAS FINALLY OVER.
ELEANOR WAS RELIEVED, BUT SHE
DID NOT FEEL LIKE CELEBRATING.
"I MISS PA'S VOICE,"
SHE WROTE ANNA
"AND THE WORDS
HE WOULD HAVE SPOKEN."
FRANKLIN AND ELEANOR
HAD EXPERIENCED TWO WORLD WARS.
THEY HAD WITNESSED
UNIMAGINABLE DESTRUCTION
AND MILLIONS
OF SENSELESS DEATHS.
FOR YEARS THEY HAD TALKED ABOU
HOW TO PREVENT ANOTHER WAR
AND F.D.R.
HAD LAID THE GROUNDWORK
FOR THE UNITED NATIONS.
Truman:
MAY ALMIGHTY GOD GIVE US
THE WISDOM
TO CARRY ON IN THE WAY
OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
Narrator:
IN DECEMBER 1945,
THE NEW PRESIDENT, HARRY TRUMAN
ASKED ELEANOR TO BE A DELEGATE
TO THE U.N.'S
FIRST MEETING IN LONDON.
EIGHT MONTHS
AFTER FRANKLIN'S DEATH
ELEANOR ARRIVED IN ENGLAND
TO BEGIN A NEW CAREER.
Woman:
SHE WAS A VERY
IMPRESSIVE FIGURE
SOMEONE THAT PEOPLE
QUEUED UP TO SEE.
OF COURSE IN ENGLAND, FRANKLIN
ROOSEVELT WAS A GREAT HERO.
WE THOUGHT HE WAS WONDERFUL
THE WAY HE HAD COME
TO THE HELP OF BRITAIN
AND ELEANOR CAME
AS HIS WIDOW AT THAT TIME.
SHE WAS NOT COMPLETELY
PLAYING HER OWN ROLE.
Eleanor Roosevelt ( recorded):
I KNEW THAT AS THE ONLY WOMAN
I'D BETTER BE BETTER
THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
SO I READ EVERY PAPER
AND THEY WERE
VERY DULL SOMETIMES
BECAUSE STATE DEPARTMENT PAPERS
CAN BE VERY DULL
AND I USED TO ALMOS
GO TO SLEEP OVER THEM AND
( laughs)
BUT I DID READ THEM ALL.
I KNEW THA
IF I IN ANY WAY FAILED
IT WOULD NOT BE JUST MY FAILURE.
IT WOULD BE THE FAILURE
OF ALL WOMEN.
THERE'D NEVER BE ANOTHER WOMAN
ON THE DELEGATION.
WE WILL NOW COME TO ORDER.
Bruce:
THEY ASSIGNED HER
TO ONE OF THE COMMITTEES
THE SOCIAL, HUMANITARIAN
AND CULTURAL
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK
SHE COULD DO MUCH HARM THERE.
Curtis:
THE CONDESCENSION OF
THE OTHER MALE DELEGATES
WAS FAIRLY OBVIOUS,
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW
OF THE ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
WHO WAS A POLITICAL PRO.
Narrator:
THE UNITED NATIONS
QUICKLY BECAME
THE DIPLOMATIC BATTLEGROUND
OF THE NEW COLD WAR
BETWEEN THE SOVIET UNION
AND THE WEST.
( delegate speaking Russian)
ELEANOR'S TOUGH SPARRING
WITH HER RUSSIAN COUNTERPAR
BECAME THE TALK OF THE ASSEMBLY.
Bruce:
SHE COUNTERED SOMETIMES
VERY VIOLENT ATTACKS
WITH FIRMNESS
AND DIPLOMATIC POLITENESS
BUT NOBODY WAS UNDER
ANY MISAPPREHENSION
OF WHERE SHE STOOD.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
I'M EXTREMELY SORRY THA
WE HAVE TO TAKE UP YOUR TIME
TO GO IN AGAIN TO A DISCUSSION
WHICH HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY
COVERED FOR TWO WEEKS!
Curtis:
WHEN SHE GOT INTO THE BRICKBATS
AND IN-FIGHTING IN THE U.N.
COMMITTEES, AND SO FORTH
ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
KNEW HOW TO HANDLE I
FAR BETTER THAN
SOME OF THESE CHAPS DID.
Narrator:
THE DELEGATES WERE SO IMPRESSED
WITH ELEANOR'S PERFORMANCE
THEY ELECTED HER
TO CHAIR THE COMMITTEE
DRAFTING A UNIVERSAL DECLARATION
OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
THERE ARE MANY PARTS
OF THE WORLD
THAT HAD NOT EVEN
THE ELEMENTARY UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT HUMAN RIGHTS
REALLY MEAN
AND THERE WAS A FEELING THAT ONE
NEEDED TO DEFINE MORE CLEARLY
WHAT HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
WERE TO MEAN.
Narrator:
IT TOOK A YEAR
OF RELENTLESS NEGOTIATING.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
THE SOVIET AMENDMEN
OF ARTICLE 22 INTRODUCES NEW
ELEMENTS INTO THE ARTICLE.
ALL OF THE NAIVETE
THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE ATTRIBUTE
TO HER IN THE 1930s
OR EVEN 1940s, HAD PASSED AWAY.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
AN IDENTICAL TEXT WAS REJECTED
IN COMMITTEE THREE
Curtis:
AND SHE WAS ABLE TO SEE
WHAT'S POSSIBLE,
HOW FAR CAN I PUSH THIS
HOW CAN I GET THA
HOW CAN I KEEP FROM
LOSING SOMETHING OVER HERE?
Eleanor Roosevelt:
THE QUESTION OF DISCRIMINATION
IS COMPREHENSIVELY COVERED
IN ARTICLE TWO
OF THE DECLARATION.
Bruce:
EVERY COMMA WAS ARGUED OVER
IN ALL THE LANGUAGES.
THERE WERE BIG ITEMS
AND THERE WERE SMALL ITEMS
AND POINTS OF DRAFTING
AND POINTS OF SUBSTANCE
AND ELEANOR HAD TO RULE
ON MANY OF THESE.
IT IS MY RULING,
AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION
THAT THE POINT RAISED BY THE
SOVIET MEMBER IS OUT OF ORDER.
SHE ALSO ENJOYED THE WORK.
SHE WORKED 18, 20 HOURS A DAY.
I MEAN, SHE GOT FOUR TO SIX
HOURS SLEEP A NIGHT, IF THAT.
WE WOULD BE HAVING BREAKFAST,
AND SHE WOULD SAY
"PLEASE TRY AND GE
THE PAKISTANI, MADAME BEGUM
"OVER FOR SUPPER THIS EVENING
AND SEE IF YOU CAN'T GE
MR. MALIK TO JOIN US."
AND IT'D BE REVOLVING
IN HER HEAD, THE MANEUVERING.
IT IS NOT A TREATY, IT IS NO
AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT.
IT IS NO
AND DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE
A STATEMENT OF LAW
OR OF LEGAL OBLIGATION.
IT IS A DECLARATION
OF BASIC PRINCIPLES
OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS.
Bruce:
"ALL HUMAN BEINGS
ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL
"IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS.
"THEY ARE ENDOWED
WITH REASON AND CONSCIENCE
"AND SHOULD ACT TOWARDS
ONE ANOTHER
IN A SPIRIT OF BROTHERHOOD."
WELL, IT STARTED OU
AS "ALL MEN"
WHICH IMMEDIATELY
CAUSED A PROBLEM.
"BORN FREE AND EQUAL IN RIGHTS,
BEING ENDOWED WITH REASON"
WAS SOMETHING THE SOVIET BLOC
AND THOSE WHO DON'T PARTICULARLY
BELIEVE IN RELIGION FOUGHT OVER.
AND THEN "ACT TOWARDS EACH OTHER
IN A SPIRIT OF BROTHERHOOD"
WELL, THE "BROTHERHOOD" STAYED
BECAUSE IT BECAME RATHER POMPOUS
IF YOU ADDED "SISTERHOOD."
BUT "ALL MEN" WAS CERTAINLY
CHANGED TO "ALL HUMAN BEINGS."
Eleanor Roosevelt:
THE SOVIET PROPOSAL FOR
DEFERRING CONSIDERATION
OF THE DECLARATION
REQUIRES NO COMMENT.
WE ARE ALL AGREED, I AM SURE
THAT THE DECLARATION
MUST BE APPROVED
BY THIS ASSEMBLY
AT THIS SESSION.
( applause)
Chairman:
UNITED STATES, YES.
Narrator:
ON DECEMBER 10, 1948
THE UNITED NATIONS
FINALLY VOTED ON THE DOCUMENT.
Chairman:
UNITED KINGDOM, YES.
Bruce:
IT WAS ADOPTED AT SOMETHING
LIKE 3:00 IN THE MORNING.
IN FAVOR OF ADOPTION: 48.
Bruce:
EVERYONE REALLY FEL
THIS WAS A GREAT HISTORIC MOMEN
FOR THE WORLD.
Chairman:
IT IS PARTICULARLY FITTING
THAT HERE TONIGH
SHOULD BE THE PERSON
WHO'S BEEN THE LEADER
IN THIS MOVEMEN
THE PERSON WHO HAS RAISED
TO EVEN GREATER HONOR
SO GREAT A NAME.
I REFER, OF COURSE,
TO MRS. ROOSEVEL
THE DELEGATE
OF THE UNITED STATES.
( applause)
Harris:
SHE WAS BECOMING A STATESPERSON.
SHE'D BEEN MOST CONCERNED
WITH DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
WHILE THE PRESIDENT WAS
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
BUT SHE UNDERTOOK THIS
AND MADE HER OWN MARK.
THIS, IN A WAY, WAS THE MAKING
OF ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
A SEPARATE PERSON, STANDING TALL
ON HER OWN TWO FEET.
Narrator:
AFTER REPUBLICAN
DWIGHT EISENHOWER
BECAME PRESIDENT IN 1952
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT,
LIKE ALL PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEES
RESIGNED HER POST.
SHE WAS 68.
FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN NEARLY 25 YEARS
SHE HAD NO OFFICIAL DUTIES
TO PERFORM.
SHE TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY.
SHE MADE THE FIRS
OF THREE TRIPS
TO THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED
STATE OF ISRAEL.
SHE VISITED JAPAN,
THE SOVIET UNION AND INDIA.
ALTHOUGH HER VISITS
WERE PRIVATE
SHE WAS GREETED
LIKE A HEAD OF STATE
NEARLY EVERYWHERE SHE WENT.
SHE WAS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED
BY HER FRIEND AND PHYSICIAN,
DR. DAVID GUREWITSCH.
GUREWITSCH WAS THE SON
OF RUSSIAN EMIGRES
A WORLDLY, CULTIVATED MAN.
Edna Gurewitsch:
DAVID WAS A MAN
WHO LOVED INTIMACY
AND SHE COULD UNBURDEN HERSELF.
HIS BEING A DOCTOR HELPED,
BECAUSE HE WAS ACCUSTOMED
TO LISTEN AND TO ADVISE,
SO THAT WAS VERY GOOD FOR HER.
DAVID WAS CHARMING.
HE WAS VERY COURTLY,
A GENTLE PERSON
AND HE WAS CAPABLE
OF HAVING FUN.
HE COULD PRACTICALLY BE
A NAUGHTY BOY
AND MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD GIGGLE.
Ward:
I THINK ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
REALLY WAS IN LOVE
WITH DAVID GUREWITSCH.
AND I THINK SHE REALLY
DEEPLY REGRETTED
THAT SHE WAS
SO MUCH OLDER THAN HE
AND THAT HE HAD OTHER INTERESTS
IN YOUNGER WOMEN.
SHE WANTED ALL
OF DAVID GUREWITSCH
AND EMOTIONS RAN VERY HIGH.
Narrator:
"DAVID DEAR, I AM NOT STUPID
"AND KNOW THAT 20 YEARS
LIE BETWEEN YOU AND ME.
"I KNOW YOU LOVE YOUTH
AND BEAUTY AND INDEPENDENCE
"AND I WOULD NOT WAN
TO KEEP YOU FROM THOSE JOYS
"BUT I WOULD BE SO HAPPY
AND SO GRATEFUL
"IF THERE WERE WAYS
"WHEN YOU WANTED ME
TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOU.
"WHAT I HAVE IN THE FEW YEARS
I HAVE LEFT IS YOURS
"BEFORE IT IS ANYONE ELSE'S.
MY WHOLE HEART IS YOURS."
Ward:
SHE WAS REALISTIC ENOUGH
IN THE END
AND WHEN HE MARRIED,
SHE RALLIED HEROICALLY
AND REMAINED A COMPANION
AND A GOOD FRIEND.
Narrator:
ELEANOR FOUND A MEASURE
OF PERSONAL HAPPINESS
BUT SHE WAS STILL TROUBLED
BY HER FAILURE AS A MOTHER.
Lash:
SHE WAS VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT HER SONS
BECAUSE THEY WEN
INTO SO MANY VENTURES
AND SO MANY OF THEM
DIDN'T SUCCEED.
AND WITH FRANKLIN
SHE HAD THE FEELING THAT HE WAS
RELYING TOO MUCH ON HIS CHARM
AND DIDN'T WORK HARD ENOUGH.
FRANKLIN WAS PROBABLY THE MOS
POLITICAL OF HER CHILDREN.
LOOKED JUST LIKE HIS FATHER
TALKED LIKE HIS FATHER,
SOUNDED LIKE HIS FATHER.
HE WAS VERY, VERY CHARISMATIC.
Narrator:
WHEN F.D.R., JR. WAS ELECTED
TO CONGRESS IN 1949
IT SEEMED HE HAD
A GOLDEN FUTURE.
BUT LIKE MOST OF HIS SIBLINGS
HE LACKED
HIS PARENTS' DISCIPLINE.
Hemenway:
IF YOU'RE ELECTED TO CONGRESS
ONE ASSUMES YOU'RE GOING
TO SPEND SOME TIME THERE.
FRANKLIN SPENT VERY LITTLE.
HE PREFERRED THE HIGH LIFE
IN NEW YORK.
HE WAS A YOUNG MAN, AND HE
WAS SPIRITED AND ATTRACTIVE.
NEW YORK WAS HIS MEAT
HE JUST LOVED IT.
HE WAS, UH
YES, HE WAS A PARTY ANIMAL.
HE, LIKE OTHER PEOPLE,
AND HE ENJOYED
PLAYING AROUND, WHATEVER.
HE HAD FIVE WIVES
THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, I GUESS.
Narrator:
AFTER HIS TERM IN CONGRESS
HE TRIED,
LIKE HIS FATHER BEFORE HIM
TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK
BUT HE LOST THE NOMINATION
TO AVERELL HARRIMAN.
HE RAN FOR
ATTORNEY GENERAL INSTEAD.
AGAIN HE LOST.
Harris:
THE MORNING AFTER THE ELECTION
I WAS IN THE HOTEL
WHERE FRANK WAS STAYING
AND SUDDENLY I HEARD HIM WEEPING
IN THE BATHROOM, WEEPING OPENLY.
AND THIS WAS TOTALLY
OUT OF CHARACTER.
HE CAME OUT, HIS EYES WERE RED
AND I SAID, "FRANK,
WHAT IN THE WORLD'S THE TROUBLE?
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?"
HE SHOOK HIS HEAD
AND SAID TO ME
"LOU, I MUST TELL YOU," HE SAID,
"IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.
IT'S JUST TOO MUCH
FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL TO BEAR."
AND I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
HE SAID, "TO BE THE SON
OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVEL
AND ELEANOR ROOSEVELT."
HE SAID, "IT'S SO MUCH
TO LIVE UP TO
AND I GUESS I'VE NOT DONE IT."
Narrator:
THE ROOSEVELT CHILDREN
OFTEN RESENTED
THAT THEIR MOTHER
CARED SO DEEPLY
FOR THE NEEDS OF HER FRIENDS
AND OF COMPLETE STRANGERS.
Curtis:
MY MOTHER AND UNCLES FEL
MY GRANDMOTHER
HAD NOT GIVEN TO THEM
THAT WHICH SHE WAS CAPABLE
OF GIVING TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE.
THEY SAW JOE LASH HAVING
AS WE WOULD SAY TODAY
A QUALITY RELATIONSHIP.
THAT WAS SOMETHING
THEY NEVER EXPERIENCED.
SO THERE WAS
NO SMALL AMOUNT OF JEALOUSY.
IT WAS QUITE, QUITE PLAIN.
I UNDERSTOOD THAT ALWAYS
I WOULD HAVE BEEN, TOO.
THEY FELT THEY WEREN'
THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES
THOUGH I DON'T BELIEVE THAT,
I THINK THEY WERE.
BUT THEY WEREN'
THE EXCLUSIVE ONES.
THERE WERE MANY OTHERS OF US
WHO WERE CLOSE TO HER.
Man:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT.
( thunderous applause)
Narrator:
ELEANOR STILL PUSHED HERSELF
WITH A RELENTLESS SCHEDULE
OF LECTURES AND MEETINGS,
TRAVEL AND COMMITTEES.
SHE DENOUNCED
SENATOR JOSEPH McCARTHY'S
ANTICOMMUNIST WITCH-HUNT.
SHE WAS ON THE BOARD
OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF
COLORED PEOPLE
AND SHE SPOKE TO AUDIENCES
AROUND THE COUNTRY
TRYING TO BUILD PUBLIC SUPPOR
FOR DESEGREGATION.
BUT AT THE MOMENT, YOU CANNO
GO TO THE UNIVERSITY
Cook:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT REALLY WANTS
A DEMOCRAT BACK IN OFFICE
AND SHE REALLY WANTS
HER CONVICTIONS
BACK ON THE NATIONAL AGENDA
AND SHE DOES EVERYTHING
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
Narrator:
IN 1952 AND AGAIN IN 1956,
ELEANOR'S CHOICE FOR PRESIDEN
WAS THE FORMER GOVERNOR
OF ILLINOIS, ADLAI STEVENSON.
I'M CONFIDENT THA
I AM GOING TO CARRY
THE PRIMARY IN FLORIDA TOMORROW.
I THINK HE WOULD MAKE
THE BEST PRESIDENT.
Man:
SHE BELIEVED HE WAS
AN IDEALISTIC MAN
A MAN OF GREAT VISION
WHO COULD MOTIVATE
LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE
TO MAKE A MORE HUMANE
AND JUST SOCIETY.
SHE WAS FIRM IN HER OPINION
HE WOULD MAKE THE BEST PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES
THAT WE HAD HAD
SINCE HER FRANKLIN.
HI, THERE,
HOW ARE YOU?
Narrator:
ELEANOR WAS AN INVALUABLE ALLY
FOR STEVENSON.
SHE USED HER PRESTIGE
TO FURTHER HIS CANDIDACY
AND OFFERED ADVICE
GAINED FROM DECADES
OF SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNING.
Man:
THE FIRST LADY OF THE WORLD,
MRS. FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT!
( applause and organ playing)
Narrator:
WHEN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
CONVENTION OPENED IN AUGUST 1956
ELEANOR WAS ASKED TO ADDRESS THE
DELEGATES ON THE OPENING NIGHT.
WE MUST BE A UNITED PARTY.
IT IS TRUE WE HAVE DIFFERENCES.
Cook:
SHE IS THE GRAND LADY
OF THE PARTY.
SHE HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUN
OF PRESTIGE.
NOBODY CAN BE NOMINATED
WITHOUT HER APPROVAL
IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
AND ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
GOES ALL OUT.
I BELIEVE THAT IT IS
ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE
THAT THE DEMOCRATS
COME BACK TO POWER.
OUR PARTY IS YOUNG AND VIGOROUS!
OUR PARTY MAY BE
THE OLDEST DEMOCRATIC PARTY
BUT OUR PARTY
OUR PARTY MUST LIVE
AS A YOUNG PARTY
AND IT MUST HAVE
YOUNG LEADERSHIP!
Newscaster:
MRS. FRANKLIN DELANO
ROOSEVELT
Narrator:
WITHOUT EVER MENTIONING
ADLAI STEVENSON
ELEANOR MADE IT CLEAR
WHOM SHE SUPPORTED.
Newscaster:
THIRD APPEARANCE BEFORE A
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION.
Narrator:
THREE DAYS LATER, HE WON
THE NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT.
( band playing, cheering)
ELEANOR CAMPAIGNED
NONSTOP FOR STEVENSON
BUT SHE COULD NOT WIN
THE ELECTION FOR HIM.
( horns honking)
Morgenthau:
THEY WERE RIDING IN A LIMOUSINE
TO A MEETING IN HARLEM,
NEW YORK CITY.
( horns honking)
THE CAR STOPPED, AND PEOPLE
GATHERED AROUND THE CAR
AND BEGAN TO POKE THEIR HEADS
RIGHT IN THE WINDOW
AND THEY RECOGNIZED ELEANOR
ROOSEVELT AND PERHAPS ADLAI.
SHE SAID HE CRINGED
IN THE CORNER AND SAID TO HER
"WHAT AM I GOING TO SAY
TO THESE PEOPLE?"
AND SHE SAID THAT, "I REALIZED
THEN THAT IF HE DIDN'T KNOW
THERE WAS NOTHING
I COULD TELL HIM."
Crowd:
WE WANT IKE! WE WANT IKE!
Narrator:
PRESIDENT EISENHOWER BEA
STEVENSON BY A LANDSLIDE.
ELEANOR WAS BITTERLY
DISAPPOINTED.
SHE HOPED, SHE SAID,
NEVER TO BE SO INVOLVED
IN ANOTHER POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
WE ARE NOW TRYING TO WIN
TO THE FREE WORLD
THE UNCOMMITTED PEOPLES
OF THE WORLD
IN ASIA, IN AFRICA
AND IN SOUTH AMERICA.
AND MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE
ARE COLORED PEOPLES.
Narrator:
EVEN IN HER 70s, ELEANOR
STILL SPARKED CONTROVERSY.
AND THE SUGGESTION
THAT WE DO NOT CONSIDER
OUR OWN CITIZENS AS EQUALS
MAKES THEM FEEL THERE IS
SOMETHING REALLY RADICALLY WRONG
IN EVERYTHING
THAT WE OFFER THEM
SO THEY'LL TAKE A GOOD LOOK
AT WHAT THE COMMUNISTS OFFER.
SO WHAT CAN WE
DO ABOUT THIS?
FACE IT, FACE I
AND REALIZE THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD
TO HAVE TWO KINDS OF CITIZENS.
WE MUST HAVE EQUAL CITIZENSHIP
FOR ANYBODY IN OUR COUNTRY.
Narrator:
CONSERVATIVE NEWSPAPERS
DISTURBED BY HER
EVER MORE OUTSPOKEN SUPPOR
OF CIVIL RIGHTS,
DROPPED HER "MY DAY" COLUMN.
PROTESTERS PICKETED
HER APPEARANCES
THREATS WERE MADE ON HER LIFE.
IN 1958,
THE KU KLUX KLAN LEARNED
SHE WAS GOING TO SPEAK
AT A CIVIL RIGHTS WORKSHOP
AT THE HIGHLANDER FOLK SCHOOL
IN TENNESSEE.
Woman:
THE DAY BEFORE
SHE'S SUPPOSED TO GO
THE F.B.I. CONTACTS HER AND SAYS
"MRS. ROOSEVELT, WE CAN'
GUARANTEE YOUR SAFETY.
"THE KLAN'S PU
A $25,000 BOUNTY ON YOUR HEAD.
WE CAN'T PROTECT YOU;
YOU CAN'T GO."
ELEANOR SAYS, "I DIDN'T ASK
FOR YOUR PROTECTION.
"I APPRECIATE THE WARNING.
I HAVE A COMMITMENT, I'M GOING."
Jarrett:
SHE WAS RELENTLESS.
SHE MADE A STATEMEN
TO THE EFFEC
THAT IF YOU DON'T TAKE A STAND
YOU'VE GOT TO LEAVE THE
IMPRESSION THAT YOU'RE COWARDLY.
SHE USED THE WORD "COWARDLY."
SO ELEANOR FLIES INTO
THE NASHVILLE AIRPOR
AND SHE'S MET BY THIS
71-YEAR-OLD WHITE WOMAN
NO SECRET SERVICE, NO COPS,
NO YOUNG MUSCLE MEN AROUND HER.
YOU KNOW,
THIS ELDERLY WHITE WOMAN
PICKS UP A 74-YEAR-OLD
ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
AND HERE THEY ARE, THEY'RE GOING
TO STAND DOWN THE KLAN.
THEY GET IN THEIR CAR
THEY PUT A LOADED PISTOL
ON THE FRONT SEAT BETWEEN THEM.
AND THEY DRIVE UP AT NIGH
THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS
TO THIS TINY LABOR SCHOOL
TO CONDUCT A WORKSHOP
ON HOW TO BREAK THE LAW
HOW TO CONDUCT NONVIOLEN
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE.
AND SHE DROVE THROUGH THE KLAN
TO DO IT.
SHE WAS TOUGH AS NAILS.
SHE HAD MADE HERSELF TOUGH.
SHE WAS JUST AS TOUGH AS F.D.R.
JUST AS TOUGH
AS THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Jarrett:
SHE DIDN'T STOP
BECAUSE THIS WOMAN
EVIDENTLY WAS CONVINCED
THAT SHE WAS DOING
THE AMERICAN THING.
SHE WAS THINKING ABOU
THE FUTURE OF HER COUNTRY.
Narrator:
MOST AMERICANS NEVER KNEW OF
THE THREATS ON ELEANOR'S LIFE.
AND I THANK YOU, MR. SULLIVAN,
FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I THANK YOU,
MRS. ROOSEVELT.
Narrator:
BY THE LATE 1950s,
SHE SEEMED TO BE EVERYWHERE
GIVE TO THE AMERICAN
CANCER SOCIETY.
A REAL CAMPAIGN
IS BEING PUT ON BY
THE SOVIET UNION
Narrator:
IN POLITICS, IN PRINT,
ON TELEVISION AND RADIO.
I WONDER IF YOU REALIZE
THAT MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS
OF THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD
ARE UNDERFED
Narrator:
ELEANOR USED THE PROGRAMS
TO PROMOTE ISSUES
SHE FELT WERE IMPORTAN
AND TO MAKE MONEY
TO HELP HER CHILDREN.
YEARS AGO, MOST PEOPLE NEVER
DREAMED OF EATING MARGARINE
BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
NOWADAYS YOU CAN GET A MARGARINE
LIKE THE NEW GOOD LUCK
WHICH REALLY TASTES DELICIOUS.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE SPREAD
ON MY TOAST: GOOD LUCK.
I THOROUGHLY ENJOY IT.
Announcer:
MRS. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT!
( applause)
TO ALL THE MAIDENS
AND DAMSELS ♪
TO THE FRAULEINS
AND MAM'SELLES ♪
Gurewitsch:
I WENT DOWN FOR LUNCH ONE DAY
AND MAUREEN CORR,
HER SECRETARY, SAID
"MRS. ROOSEVELT,
IT'S A CALL FROM CALIFORNIA.
IT'S FRANK SINATRA."
AND MRS. ROOSEVELT SAID,
"FIND OUT WHO HE IS, DEAR
AND WHAT HE WANTS."
IT WAS AN INVITATION
TO APPEAR AT A SPECIAL.
Sinatra:
THERE IS A GALLUP POLL
TAKEN EVERY YEAR
TO SELECT THE TEN MOS
ADMIRED WOMEN IN THE WORLD.
THIS YEAR, FOR THE
11th CONSECUTIVE TIME
THE NAME AT THE TOP OF THAT LIS
IS THAT OF A LADY WHOSE
FRIENDSHIP I TREASURE VERY MUCH.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MOS
ADMIRED WOMAN OF OUR TIME
MRS. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT.
( applause)
NOW, THEN, IF YOU
HAD ONE MINUTE
TO LEAVE ONE WORD WITH,
SAY, 25 MILLION PEOPLE
WHAT WOULD THAT WORD BE?
THAT ONE WORD
WOULD BE "HOPE."
OH, NEXT TIME YOU'RE FOUND
WITH YOUR CHIN ON THE GROUND
THERE'S A LOT TO BE LEARNED,
SO LOOK AROUND.
ONCE THERE WAS
A SILLY OLD ANT
Narrator:
IN THE LAST YEARS OF HER LIFE,
ELEANOR ENJOYED MORE THAN EVER
THE TIME SHE COULD
SPEND AT VAL-KILL.
HER HOUSE WAS ALWAYS
FILLED WITH PEOPLE
GRANDCHILDREN
CLOSE FRIENDS
FORMER NEW DEALERS
VISITING DIGNITARIES
AND NEIGHBORS.
SHE SEEMED A BETTER MOTHER
TO HER GRANDCHILDREN
THAN SHE HAD BEEN TO HER OWN.
Gibson:
I WASN'T BEAUTIFUL,
I WASN'T SOCIAL
AND MY PARENTS REALLY WEREN'
SURE WHAT TO DO WITH ME
SO MY GRANDMOTHER BECAME
MY SUBSTITUTE PARENTS
AND I SPEN
A LOT OF TIME WITH HER
BECAUSE I FELT WELCOME
AT HER HOUSE
AND SHE WAS WONDERFUL
TO BE AROUND.
Gurewitsch:
IN THOSE YEARS,
SHE ENJOYED LIFE VERY MUCH.
SHE ENJOYED PARTIES,
GIVING THEM
SHE WAS A WONDERFUL HOSTESS,
SHE ENJOYED GOOD FOOD.
IN THE SUMMER HER COOK MADE THE
MOST MARVELOUS FROZEN DAIQUIRIS
WHICH SHE ENJOYED.
SHE WAS GREAT FUN.
SHE LAUGHED WITH REAL GUSTO.
Seagraves:
WE SAW A LIGHTER, HAPPIER
EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS OLDER
HAPPIER PERSON
A LITTLE MORE RELAXED, AND VERY
SURE OF HERSELF IN A GENTLE WAY.
Narrator:
MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY
AFTER HER FATHER'S DEATH
ELEANOR MADE THE JOURNEY HE HAD
PROMISED THEY WOULD TAKE ONE DAY
TO THE TAJ MAHAL,
THE MONUMENT TO ETERNAL LOVE.
SHE STAYED THROUGH THE EVENING,
SITTING ALONE IN THE MOONLIGHT.
"AS LONG AS I SHALL LIVE,
I SHALL CARRY IN MY MIND
"THE BEAUTY OF THE TAJ.
"AT LAST I KNOW
WHY MY FATHER ALWAYS SAID
IT WAS THE ONE THING
HE WANTED US TO SEE TOGETHER."
BY 1962, ELEANOR'S AGE
WAS CATCHING UP WITH HER.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE,
SHE ADMITTED SHE WAS TIRED.
Eleanor:
THAT SUMMER,
SHE DIDN'T SEEM HER OLD SELF.
THERE WERE SOME ENGAGEMENTS SHE
ACTUALLY DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO.
AT NIGHT, SHE WOULD HAVE SWEATS.
THEN SHE STARTED TO BLEED
AND SHE WAS FORCED REALLY TO GO
TO NEW YORK CITY TO SPECIALISTS.
Narrator:
DOCTORS FOUND SHE WAS SUFFERING
FROM BONE-MARROW TUBERCULOSIS.
Eleanor:
SHE DID PERSUADE THEM TO LET HER
GO BACK TO HER APARTMENT.
SHE WAS JUST VERY TIRED
AND SHE DIDN'T WAN
TO FIGHT ANYMORE.
Narrator:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT DIED
ON NOVEMBER 7, 1962.
SHE WAS 78 YEARS OLD.
Fuchs:
ALL GOVERNMENT OFFICES
AND ALL OVERSEAS INSTALLATIONS
WERE ORDERED BY THE PRESIDEN
TO FLY THE AMERICAN FLAG
AT HALF-MAST.
IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGMEN
OF WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW
FROM THE POLLS AND FROM STORIES
THAT WOULD COME
FROM LITTLE VILLAGES
AND HAMLETS ALL OVER THE WORLD
THAT SHE WAS THE MOST ADMIRED
WOMAN IN THE WORLD.
THE WORLD
HAS SUFFERED AN
IRREPARABLE LOSS.
Jarrett:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT HAD
A SENSE OF DISCOVERY.
SHE KEPT DISCOVERING HERSELF.
SHE KEPT GROWING.
AND I DON'T THINK SHE KNEW
THAT SHE WOULD BECOME
THE ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
THAT SHE DID.
Gurewitsch:
SHE TRANSCENDED POLITICS
AND ALL RELIGIONS.
SHE WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE BES
THAT AMERICA COULD BE.
Curtis:
THIS POPULARITY
OF ELEANOR ROOSEVEL
WAS QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.
YOU LOOK AT HER LIFE:
THERE'S NO WAY
THAT YOU CAN RECORD LEGISLATION
THAT SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
IT ISN'T ANY OF THE WAYS
IN WHICH WE NORMALLY PEG
A PERSON'S RECOGNITION.
IT IS BECAUSE OF WHO SHE WAS.
AND WHO SHE WAS, THE VIBRATIONS
OF IT, CONTINUE TO ECHO.
THERE IS MORE ABOU
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT ON THE WEB.
EXAMINE HER EXTENSIVE
F.B.I. FILE.
WATCH RARE FOOTAGE OF ELEANOR
INTERVIEWING J.F.K.
ALL THIS AND MORE
AT AMERICAN EXPERIENCE ONLINE.
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