Leadership Essay ~ Comparison of Eleanor Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr.
“The First Lady of the World” was the name given to Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, by Harry Truman.
She was born on 11 October 1884 to parents from prominent families and had a very happy early childhood. Sadly her mother died of diphtheria when Eleanor was eight years old and two years later, her father also died. She was seemingly unaffected by her mother’s death, but her father’s death caused her to become withdrawn, refusing to interact with her friends. She was cared for after that by her grandmother and her aunt.
At fifteen she was sent to finishing school in London. She thrived on her new environment, absorbing a self discipline that would remain with her all her life. She returned home a confident young woman, ready to make her debut into Society. It was during this time that her distant cousin entered her life. She married him, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in 1905, after a three year courtship.
She did not plan for a future as a politician’s wife, but five years after their marriage, FDR decided to run for the New York State Legislature. As any loving wife would in those days, she gave him all her support.Eleanor was a constant presence in her husband’s political life.
In 1921, FDR was struck down by poliomyelitis and never walked again. Eleanor became even more involved in her husband’s political life as she knew he would have to rely on information from people around him because of his disability. She became involved in state politics, travelling extensively and working for political causes she considered to be important.
She invited people from all walks of life, social workers, union leaders and writers to dinner. These people were able to keep FDR involved with current political events. All this also brought Eleanor in to contact with many prominent political figures.
She advocated better working conditions for women. She wanted to see...