American Experience (1988–…): Season 12, Episode 6 - Eleanor Roosevelt - full transcript

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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.



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 MOST
POWERFUL WOMAN IN AMERICA.

NIECE OF ONE PRESIDENT

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 BEST
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 COST
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 AMOUNT
OF CONFLICT AND HURT IN HER LIFE

AND A GREAT SENSE
OF LOSS AND STRUGGLE.

SHE WAS HAPPIEST
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 ROOSEVELT

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 IT

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 IMPORTANT

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 ASSET
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 IT

WHICH WAS THAT HER MOTHER
WAS SUBJECT TO MIGRAINES

AND ELEANOR WOULD COME AND SIT
AND RUB HER BROW FOR HOURS

AND LEARNED FROM THAT

THAT THE WAY TO BE LOVED
WAS TO BE USEFUL.

AND I THINK

THAT WAS A LESSON THAT
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 DIFFERENT
WITH HER FATHER, ELLIOTT

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 RIGHT

AND THEY WOULD GO OFF

AND THEY WOULD TAKE CARE
OF HER LITTLE BROTHERS

AND THEY WOULD HAVE A FAMILY

AND SO THAT MEANT
THE WORLD TO HER

AND THAT REALLY GAVE HER
THE HOOK

ON WHICH SHE COULD HANG
HER LIFE.

Narrator:
ELLIOTT WAS CONSIDERED UNFIT
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 SPENT
MOST OF HER TIME IN HER ROOM.

THERE WERE THESE TWO DRUNKEN
AND REALLY DANGEROUS UNCLES

ONE OF WHOM USED TO SHOOT
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 STRICT
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 OUT
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 ROOSEVELT

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 COMFORT
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 THOUGHT
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 BEST
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 TAUGHT
TO BE INDEPENDENT

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 NOT
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 COMFORT

WHEN THEY WERE HOMESICK
OR NEEDED ADVICE.

ON WEEKENDS, THEY BOUGHT
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.

SHE RECALLED HER CHILDHOOD
VISITS WITH HIM AS TERRIFYING.

"HE WAS HORRIFIED THAT I DIDN'T
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 OUT

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 ADAPT
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 DEBUT
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'T
KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

SHE LIKED TO TALK ABOUT THINGS,
SHE LIKED TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE

SHE LIKED TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT SHE HAD READ

BUT JUST SMALL TALK DIDN'T
INTEREST HER AT ALL, EVER.

Narrator:
ELEANOR REMEMBERED
HOW AWKWARD SHE FELT.

Eleanor Roosevelt:
EVERYTHING YOU DID WAS SO THAT
YOU WOULD GRACE SOCIETY.

IF YOU WERE UGLY,
YOU TRIED TO MAKE UP FOR IT

BY BEING WELL-EDUCATED
AND HAVING VERY GOOD MANNERS.

Eleanor:
MY AUNT DIDN'T
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 CUT

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 STUDENT
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 SENT
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."

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, DEAREST

"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 ROOSEVELT
GAVE THE BRIDE AWAY.

"WHEN THE WEDDING WAS OVER,"
ELEANOR RECALLED

"WE SUDDENLY DISCOVERED THAT
THE MINUTE UNCLE TED LEFT US

"EVERYBODY ELSE LEFT US, TOO.

"IT WAS REALLY
MUCH MORE IMPORTANT

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 JUST
THE SWEETEST, DEAREST MAMA

"TO YOUR CHILDREN

"AND I SHALL LOOK FORWARD TO
OUR NEXT LONG EVENING TOGETHER

WHEN I SHALL WANT
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 BUILT
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'T
SUCK THEIR THUMBS

OR SHE PUT A CRADLE OUT
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 JUST
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 THOUGHT

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:
IF SOMETHING WAS UNPLEASANT

AND HE DIDN'T WANT
TO KNOW ABOUT IT

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 NOT
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 LOT
OF THINGS EXPECTED

OF THE WIFE OF SUCH AN
UP-AND-COMING GOVERNMENT
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'T
APPRECIATE THAT.

SHE DIDN'T LIKE IT.

SHE KNEW SHE HAD TO DO IT

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 THAT
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 WITHOUT
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 FELT
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'T
KNOW WHERE TO PUT THIS HURT.

I THINK THE GREATEST HURT

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 THAT
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:
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 LEFT
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 PART
OF BRINGING HERSELF BACK

INTO AN INDEPENDENT,
FUNCTIONING PERSON.

Narrator:
SARA AND ELEANOR WERE EACH
CERTAIN THEY WERE RIGHT

AND ACTING IN FRANKLIN'S
BEST INTERESTS.

IN HER DISTRESS,
ELEANOR BECAME COLD AND SILENT.

IN THE SPRING OF 1922

THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE ROOSEVELT
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 APART
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 THAT
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 SHREWDEST
POLITICAL MINDS IN AMERICA.

Eleanor Roosevelt:
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 FIRST

TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC.

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.

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 THAT
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 FIGHT
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 IT
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 ABOUT
TO TAKE COLLEGE BOARDS.

SO THE SCHOOL SUGGESTED

I DROP MRS. ROOSEVELT'S COURSE,
ENGLISH, AND TAKE MORE MATH.

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 IT
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 FACT
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:
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 GOVERNMENT

AND HOW YOU COULD USE GOVERNMENT
TO IMPROVE CERTAIN THINGS

AND I THINK WE BEGAN TO GET
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:
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'T
ASK YOU ABOUT THE MENUS.

"I ASKED YOU
WHAT THE FOOD WAS LIKE.

YOU SHOULD HAVE LOOKED
IN THE POTS ON THE STOVE."

AND...
WELL, AFTER THAT

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 ENCOURAGEMENT
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 ABOUT
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 THAT
YOU'LL COME BACK

AND VISIT ME
IN ALBANY, N.Y.

WHERE AT LEAST
I CAN GIVE YOU

SOME VERY
WONDERFUL SCENERY.

EITHER ALBANY
OR WASHINGTON.

WELL, I THINK
FOR WASHINGTON

WE MIGHT ALMOST
TOSS A COIN.

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?

Anna:
HAPPY DAYS ARE
HERE AGAIN.

GOOD, THAT'S RIGHT.

Woman:
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES!

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 DISTRAUGHT

ABOUT THE IDEA
OF BEING TOTALLY IMMERSED

IN THIS GOLDFISH BOWL
OF THE WHITE HOUSE.

THE DAY SHE REALIZED

THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE
THE WIFE OF THE PRESIDENT

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 ROOSEVELT
BECAME PRESIDENT

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. ROOSEVELT
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, DOT

SHE'S GOING
FOR A CANTER IN THE PARK

WITH MRS. HENRY MORGENTHAU, JR.
AS HER COMPANION.

Narrator:
THE PRESS DESCRIBED A WHITE
HOUSE THAT WAS FULL OF ENERGY

TEEMING WITH ROOSEVELT
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 ELLIOTT
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. ROOSEVELT
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 JOURNALIST

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 PUT
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 THAT
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. ROOSEVELT
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 NOT

AND MY FEELING ABOUT THAT
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 WENT
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!

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 APPOINT
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. ROOSEVELT

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 PRESIDENT

"NOW, FRANKLIN,
THESE PEOPLE NEED MORE MONEY

AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE SURE
THAT THEY'RE IN THE BUDGET."

AND WE ALL IMAGINED THAT
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'T
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 FIRST
COMMUNITY, CALLED ARTHURDALE.

WITH ELEANOR AS THEIR CHAMPION

THEY BUILT
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 LIFT
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.

Narrator:
SHE EVEN PAID
TEACHERS' SALARIES HERSELF.

BUT THE PROJECT HAD NOT BEEN
FULLY THOUGHT THROUGH.

THE HOMESTEADERS COULD NOT
GROW ENOUGH TO FEED THEMSELVES.

BUSINESS FAILED TO TAKE ROOT

AND MANY RESIDENTS
REMAINED ON RELIEF.

BY THE EARLY 1940s,
CONGRESS LOST INTEREST

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.

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 SPENT
IN THE NAME OF RELIEF

HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIEF.

AND A LOT OF MONEY...

AND A LOT OF THE MONEY
HAS BEEN WASTED.

Narrator:
ELEANOR'S ACTIVIST ROLE AS FIRST
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:
♪ 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 THOUGHT
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 ROOSEVELT
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 IT

AND INSISTING
THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.

AND SHE SEEMED TO HAVE
A LARGE POLITICAL EQUIVALENT

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."

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:
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 VEHEMENT
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.

ONE INSTANCE, I THINK,
WHERE SHE WAS TESTING LIMITS WAS

IN THE MARIAN ANDERSON AFFAIR.

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 AT
THE GREAT EMANCIPATOR'S SHRINE.

♪ 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.

Man:
I'M NOT TOO SURE
THAT AMERICA REALIZED

WHAT THAT CONCERT SYMBOLIZED...

BECAUSE IT STRUCK AT THE VERY
DEPTHS OF RACISM IN AMERICA.

AND EVERYBODY KNEW THAT
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... ♪

♪ 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.

IN THE TURBULENT TIMES AHEAD

ELEANOR WOULD BE
BITTERLY ATTACKED

FOR WHAT SHE BELIEVED IN

AND ONCE AGAIN, SHE WOULD FACE
LOSS AND BETRAYAL.

Radio announcer:
Now the long-awaited hour,
the nominations.

The Honorable Lester Hill,
junior senator from Alabama...

Narrator:
ON JULY 17, 1940

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
WAS AT HER HOME, VAL-KILL

LISTENING TO THE RADIO BROADCAST

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 ROOSEVELT

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:
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.

Eleanor Roosevelt:
PANDEMONIUM HAD BROKEN LOOSE
IN THE HALL

AND YOU COULDN'T
HEAR YOURSELF SPEAK.

THE NOISE WAS
SOMETHING TERRIBLE.

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 ABOUT
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 IT
TO THE FULLEST OF THEIR ABILITY

WITH A DETERMINATION
TO BRING THE WORLD

TO A SAFER AND
HAPPIER CONDITION.

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. ROOSEVELT
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 STANDPOINT

"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 PUZZLEMENT

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 DIFFICULT
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 ROOSEVELT
AS WELL.

I MEAN, THEY SORT OF HAD
A DOUBLE WHAMMY.

Eleanor Roosevelt:
IF THEY WANTED TO REALLY
TALK TO THEIR FATHER

THEY HAD TO ASK
FOR AN APPOINTMENT.

AND EVEN WHEN THEY
GOT THE APPOINTMENT

SOMETIMES AFFAIRS OF STATE
WOULD BE SO IMPORTANT

THAT THEY DIDN'T GET THE FULL
ATTENTION OF THEIR FATHER

AND THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT
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.

Eleanor Roosevelt:
I AM SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT

AT A VERY SERIOUS MOMENT
IN OUR HISTORY.

ARMY AND NAVY OFFICIALS

HAVE BEEN WITH THE PRESIDENT
ALL AFTERNOON.

IN FACT, THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR
WAS TALKING TO THE PRESIDENT

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.

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 SUPPORT

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 THAT
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 SPENT
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 PART
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'T
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 OUT

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 LARGEST
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 AGAINST
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 THREAT
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 AGAINST
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 GREAT
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 DETROIT

TO WORK IN DEFENSE INDUSTRIES.

Jarrett:
IN DETROIT, YOU HAD A LOT
OF WORKERS THERE

THAT SAID, "WE JUST CAN'T
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.

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 DETROIT

ELEANOR AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS
APPEALED TO F.D.R.

TO SPEAK TO THE NATION
ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF RACE.

BUT ROOSEVELT FELT
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.

Narrator:
THE CAMPAIGN IN THE PACIFIC

WAS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST
AND BLOODIEST OF THE WAR.

FOR MONTHS,
ELEANOR HAD WANTED TO VISIT

THE TROOPS FIGHTING THERE.

NOW F.D.R. AGREED

THINKING THE TRIP MIGHT
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 OUT
THAT A WOMAN WAS ARRIVING.

FOR SECURITY REASONS

THEY COULDN'T SAY IT
WAS THE PRESIDENT'S WIFE.

AND SHE SAID SHE ALWAYS FELT
HOW DISAPPOINTED THEY WOULD BE

BECAUSE THEY WERE EXPECTING
A HOLLYWOOD STARLET

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."

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."

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!'"

Narrator:
THE MEN LOVED HER.

ADMIRAL HALSEY,
COMMANDER OF THE PACIFIC FLEET

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 MOST
AT THEIR EXPRESSIONS

"AS SHE LEANED OVER THEM.

IT WAS A SIGHT
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 THAT
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 BROUGHT
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 DISAPPOINTMENT

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 IT
A LOT EASIER FOR ME.

Eleanor Roosevelt:
WHEN FRANKLIN WENT TO WARM
SPRINGS IN APRIL OF 1945

HE SAID TO ME THAT HE FELT

THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS
I HAD TO DO

AND I HAD BETTER WAIT
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.

Narrator:
ELEANOR STAYED BEHIND
IN WASHINGTON.

ON APRIL 12, SHE ATTENDED
A FUNDRAISING EVENT

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 REFLECT
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 AGREEMENT
ON ESSENTIAL VALUES.

WE DEPENDED ON EACH OTHER."

Lash:
SHE WAS MUCH MORE
INTIMATELY CONNECTED

WITH THE PRESIDENT
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 ABOUT
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:
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 ALMOST
GO TO SLEEP OVER THEM AND...

BUT I DID READ THEM ALL.

I KNEW THAT
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 ROOSEVELT
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.

ELEANOR'S TOUGH SPARRING
WITH HER RUSSIAN COUNTERPART

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 THAT
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 ROOSEVELT
KNEW HOW TO HANDLE IT

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 MEANT

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 AMENDMENT

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 THAT

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 GET
THE PAKISTANI, MADAME BEGUM

"OVER FOR SUPPER THIS EVENING

AND SEE IF YOU CAN'T GET
MR. MALIK TO JOIN US."

AND IT'D BE REVOLVING
IN HER HEAD, THE MANEUVERING.

IT IS NOT A TREATY, IT IS NOT
AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT.

IT IS NOT
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 OUT
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.

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.

48.

Bruce:
EVERYONE REALLY FELT

THIS WAS A GREAT HISTORIC MOMENT
FOR THE WORLD.

Chairman:
IT IS PARTICULARLY FITTING
THAT HERE TONIGHT

SHOULD BE THE PERSON

WHO'S BEEN THE LEADER
IN THIS MOVEMENT

THE PERSON WHO HAS RAISED
TO EVEN GREATER HONOR

SO GREAT A NAME.

I REFER, OF COURSE,
TO MRS. ROOSEVELT

THE DELEGATE
OF THE UNITED STATES.

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 ROOSEVELT

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 FIRST
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 ROOSEVELT

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 WANT
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 WENT
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 MOST
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. ROOSEVELT

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 FELT

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'T
THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES

THOUGH I DON'T BELIEVE THAT,
I THINK THEY WERE.

BUT THEY WEREN'T
THE EXCLUSIVE ONES.

THERE WERE MANY OTHERS OF US
WHO WERE CLOSE TO HER.

Man:
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT.

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 SUPPORT
FOR DESEGREGATION.

BUT AT THE MOMENT, YOU CANNOT
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 PRESIDENT

WAS THE FORMER GOVERNOR
OF ILLINOIS, ADLAI STEVENSON.

I'M CONFIDENT THAT
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 PRESIDENT
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!

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 AMOUNT
OF PRESTIGE.

NOBODY CAN BE NOMINATED
WITHOUT HER APPROVAL

IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

AND ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
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.

ELEANOR CAMPAIGNED
NONSTOP FOR STEVENSON

BUT SHE COULD NOT WIN
THE ELECTION FOR HIM.

Morgenthau:
THEY WERE RIDING IN A LIMOUSINE

TO A MEETING IN HARLEM,
NEW YORK CITY.

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 BEAT
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 IT

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 SUPPORT

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'T
GUARANTEE YOUR SAFETY.

"THE KLAN'S PUT
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 STATEMENT
TO THE EFFECT

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 AIRPORT

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 ROOSEVELT

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 NIGHT
THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS

TO THIS TINY LABOR SCHOOL

TO CONDUCT A WORKSHOP
ON HOW TO BREAK THE LAW

HOW TO CONDUCT NONVIOLENT
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 ABOUT
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 IMPORTANT

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!

♪ 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 MOST
ADMIRED WOMEN IN THE WORLD.

THIS YEAR, FOR THE
11th CONSECUTIVE TIME

THE NAME AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST

IS THAT OF A LADY WHOSE
FRIENDSHIP I TREASURE VERY MUCH.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MOST
ADMIRED WOMAN OF OUR TIME

MRS. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT.

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'T
SURE WHAT TO DO WITH ME

SO MY GRANDMOTHER BECAME
MY SUBSTITUTE PARENTS

AND I SPENT
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 WANT
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 PRESIDENT

TO FLY THE AMERICAN FLAG
AT HALF-MAST.

IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGMENT

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 ROOSEVELT
THAT SHE DID.

Gurewitsch:
SHE TRANSCENDED POLITICS
AND ALL RELIGIONS.

SHE WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE BEST
THAT AMERICA COULD BE.

Curtis:
THIS POPULARITY
OF ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

WAS QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.

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 ABOUT
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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