Eleanor Roosevelt
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT:
A LIFE OF LEADERSHIP Introduction The legacy of Eleanor Roosevelt is essentially contested. To many, her role as First Lady, delegate to the UN, Democratic Party member, humanitarian and social activist immortalized her as "the conscience of the nation". However critics - deriding her as a "gadfly" and an "unfit woman" - cite many flaws in her leadership capacity. Roosevelt was never elected to office. She was reluctant to assume the responsibilities of being the First Lady. Unlike Lincoln or King no single great' speech defined her vision, passion or ideology. In effect, the success of Roosevelt is merely the result of a privileged background and simply being in the right place, at the right time'. This conflict formed the starting point of our research. In June 2002 the Eleanor Roosevelt Learning Team met with Senator Hillary Clinton. Motivated by the above debate we asked what it was that made Roosevelt stand out amongst other great leaders of the US. Senator Clinton expounded a convincing hypothesis, arguing that Roosevelt was one of the most influential figures in 20th Century history with a life spanning some of the most dramatic and challenging events in modern history e.g. the Depression, World War II, the Cold War and the civil rights movements. Senator Clinton argued that Roosevelt's achievements were numerous. For example, as America's longest serving First Lady she re-defined the office and worked tirelessly in the interests of US people starved of opportunity and equality such as underprivileged children, coal miners, African Americans. As Chair of the UN Committee III she extended her compassion and interest in human rights by playing a pivotal role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, perhaps her greatest and most enduring achievement. What Senator Clinton stressed most however was the unique nature of Roosevelt's leadership style and skill. Throughout her life Roosevelt held a
A LIFE OF LEADERSHIP Introduction The legacy of Eleanor Roosevelt is essentially contested. To many, her role as First Lady, delegate to the UN, Democratic Party member, humanitarian and social activist immortalized her as "the conscience of the nation". However critics - deriding her as a "gadfly" and an "unfit woman" - cite many flaws in her leadership capacity. Roosevelt was never elected to office. She was reluctant to assume the responsibilities of being the First Lady. Unlike Lincoln or King no single great' speech defined her vision, passion or ideology. In effect, the success of Roosevelt is merely the result of a privileged background and simply being in the right place, at the right time'. This conflict formed the starting point of our research. In June 2002 the Eleanor Roosevelt Learning Team met with Senator Hillary Clinton. Motivated by the above debate we asked what it was that made Roosevelt stand out amongst other great leaders of the US. Senator Clinton expounded a convincing hypothesis, arguing that Roosevelt was one of the most influential figures in 20th Century history with a life spanning some of the most dramatic and challenging events in modern history e.g. the Depression, World War II, the Cold War and the civil rights movements. Senator Clinton argued that Roosevelt's achievements were numerous. For example, as America's longest serving First Lady she re-defined the office and worked tirelessly in the interests of US people starved of opportunity and equality such as underprivileged children, coal miners, African Americans. As Chair of the UN Committee III she extended her compassion and interest in human rights by playing a pivotal role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, perhaps her greatest and most enduring achievement. What Senator Clinton stressed most however was the unique nature of Roosevelt's leadership style and skill. Throughout her life Roosevelt held a