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2012 SESSION

12105973D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 70
Offered March 8, 2012
Commemorating the life and legacy of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.
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Patrons-- Kory, Alexander, BaCote, Brink, Bulova, Englin, Filler-Corn, Herring, Hope, Howell, A.T., Joannou, Johnson, Keam, McQuinn, Plum, Scott, J.M., Sickles, Spruill, Surovell, Toscano, Tyler, Ward and Watts
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WHEREAS, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the nation’s most influential women as First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, passed away 50 years ago, on November 7, 1962; and

WHEREAS, Anna “Eleanor” Roosevelt, the daughter of Elliott Roosevelt and Anna Hall, lost her parents when she was young and was raised by her maternal grandmother, Mary Livingston Ludlow Hall; and

WHEREAS, Eleanor Roosevelt received her education from private tutors until the age of 15, when she became a student at Allenswood Academy, a private school in England, and came under the tutelage of Mademoiselle Marie Souvestre, an influential mentor who opened her young charge’s eyes to both the grandeur of Europe and the struggles of the working class; and

WHEREAS, upon the completion of her formal education, Eleanor Roosevelt returned to the United States and became actively involved in the social reform movement, joining the Junior League, teaching at the Rivington Street Settlement House in New York, and volunteering as an investigator with the National Consumers League; and

WHEREAS, Eleanor Roosevelt married Franklin Delano Roosevelt on March 17, 1905; the young couple had six children and she immersed herself in family affairs for several years while supporting her husband as his political career advanced; and

WHEREAS, during World War I, Eleanor Roosevelt volunteered with the American Red Cross and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society; her previous experience as an investigator was put to use as she was asked to investigate the conditions at a local hospital that treated sailors who returned from war with mental health issues; and

WHEREAS, in 1921 Franklin Delano Roosevelt was stricken with polio; Eleanor Roosevelt oversaw his initial medical care and proved to be a stalwart supporter as he recovered and continued with his political career; and

WHEREAS, Eleanor Roosevelt continued her own participation in civic affairs, becoming active in the League of Women Voters, joining the Women’s Trade Union League, working for the Women’s Division of the New York State Democratic Committee, and teaching at the Todhunter School; and

WHEREAS, Eleanor Roosevelt served as First Lady of the United States from 1933 until 1945, as her husband, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, offered Americans a “New Deal” during the Great Depression and governed the nation during World War II; and

WHEREAS, an inspiring role model and pioneering First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt became the first First Lady to hold her own press conference; wrote her own daily syndicated column, “My Day,” which detailed her experiences as First Lady; traveled around the nation visiting relief projects; and advocated for the rights of the poor and disadvantaged; and

WHEREAS, during World War II, Eleanor Roosevelt served as Assistant Director of the Office of Civilian Defense from 1941 until 1942 and provided a much needed boost to morale when she visited soldiers stationed in England and the South Pacific, while remaining concerned for the well-being of her own four sons serving on active duty; and

WHEREAS, following the death of her husband, Eleanor Roosevelt continued to participate in public life; President Truman appointed her to the United Nations General Assembly, where she served as a member of the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee and chair of the Commission on Human Rights; and

WHEREAS, as the world recovered from the atrocities of World War II, Eleanor Roosevelt served as one of the drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which continues to affirm “the inherent dignity and ... the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family”; and

WHEREAS, President John F. Kennedy reappointed Eleanor Roosevelt to the United States Delegation to the United Nations and appointed her to the National Advisory Committee of the Peace Corps and as chair of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women; and

WHEREAS, a devoted wife and mother, admired First Lady of the United States, and worldwide leader for human rights, Eleanor Roosevelt died on November 7, 1962; on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of her passing, it is appropriate to reflect upon her extraordinary accomplishments and humanitarian efforts around the world; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the life and legacy of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt hereby be commemorated on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of her passing; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the National First Ladies’ Library and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum as an expression of the House of Delegates’ respect and admiration for the First Lady’s role in American and world history.