Women’s History Month: Eleanor Roosevelt, Redefining Roles

Posted on by Suzanne

In celebration of Women’s History Month Pick Up Sticks Jewelry Company is featuring a prominent woman and highlighting the impact she had on the world. And, to add a little more fun to the history lesson, we are selecting jewelry charms that embody each woman’s unique personality and accomplishments. Today we are celebrating Eleanor Roosevelt who became First Lady of the United States on March 4, 1933.

Born to Serve

Born in 1884 in New York City, Eleanor Roosevelt redefined the role of the First Lady through her active participation in American politics. The niece of President Theodore Roosevelt, and the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, she advocated for human and women’s rights, held press conferences, toured the nation repeatedly, and voiced her opinions through newspaper columns and radio broadcasts.

In the dark days of the Depression, she made Americans feel that someone cared and would try to help them. Even though Franklin Roosevelt did not always follow her advice, she tirelessly continued to advocate for minorities, youth, the poor, and the unemployed.

Championing Peace and Equality

Following her husband’s passing, President Harry Truman appointed Eleanor as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. She became chair of the U.N.’s Human Rights Commission and helped to write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—an effort that she considered to be her greatest achievement. Sometime later, President John F. Kennedy named her to the National Advisory Committee of the Peace Corps and chair of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women.

Throughout her life, Eleanor Roosevelt continued to be active in politics, making strides in equality and in her work for international cooperation.

Her beloved home Val-Kill, located in Hyde Park, New York, is the only National Historic Site dedicated to a First Lady. Today it’s an excellent place for adults to learn of her work and her legacy, and for students to explore connections with their community and the environment through hands-on learning experiences.

Charming Eleanor

Pick Up Sticks jewelry charms that speak of Eleanor’s outspoken and unwavering vision to change the world and her courage to advocate for those less fortunate or without a voice include “True & Kind,” which bears the words “Good Deeds Live Long,” and “Choosing Joy,” which echos the words of Adlai Stevenson, spoken at her memorial service: “She would rather light candles than curse the darkness, and her glow warmed the world.”



Sources

Commons.wikimedia.org. (2019). Category:Eleanor Roosevelt – Wikimedia Commons. [online] Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Eleanor_Roosevelt [Accessed 24 Feb. 2019].
Nps.gov. (2019). Education – Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service). [online] Available at: https://www.nps.gov/elro/learn/education/index.htm [Accessed 24 Feb. 2019].
En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Eleanor Roosevelt. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Roosevelt [Accessed 24 Feb. 2019].
National Women’s Hall of Fame. (2019). Roosevelt, Eleanor – National Women’s Hall of Fame. [online] Available at: https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/eleanor-roosevelt/ [Accessed 24 Feb. 2019].