Eleanor roosevelt biography childhood diabetes

in: Eras in Social Welfare History, Great Depression, New Deal, People, World War II and the 1950s

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962): First Lady, Social Welfare Advocate, Human Rights Leader

By Allida M.

Black, Ph.D., Project Director and Editor, The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers

Editor’s Note: This biographical entry is an excerpt from “The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt,” a collection found in its entirety athttps://erpapers.columbian.gwu.edu/.

Republished with permission.

The Early Years

Eleanor Roosevelt was born October 11, 1884 into a family of lineage, wealth, and uncommon sadness. The first child of Anna Hall Roosevelt and Elliott Roosevelt, young Eleanor encountered disappointment early in life.

Her father, mourning the death of his mother and fighting constant ill health, turned to alcohol for solace and was absent from home for long periods of time engaged in either business, pleasure or medical treatment. Anna Hall Roosevelt struggle