How did Elanor Roosevelt change the role of the first lady during FDR's in office?

Answer 1

Before Eleanor Roosevelt, first ladies took a very subservient role, playing hostess and dealing with children and other domestic issues.

Eleanor Roosevelt was the first women who took a stance on issues and embraced a leadership role. She traveled on her husband's behalf, visiting factories and speaking to labor unions. She was an advocate for civil rights, and she wrote columns for newspapers and women's magazines.

Answer 2

Until Mrs. Roosevelt, every First Lady had just been a hostess, or the president's wife, more concerned with children and domestic work. Not Eleanor! She got out of the house and got things done!

While her husband was working in Washington D.C., Eleanor worked as his "front man", visiting factories and spending time with the people. She would go up to people and ask them what was wrong, and what did they need. She spoke to labor groups, and encouraged unionization; she was an outspoken proponent of civil rights for African-Americans--so much so that FDR had to work hard to placate Southerners, whom he needed to pass the New Deal.

She wrote a syndicated column, "My Day", which was highly unusual for the times. She also met regularly with female journalists, and actually had 348 press conferences; men were not admitted to these meetings, which was meant as a swipe at male reporters who discriminated against women. She also wrote columns in women's magazines on all kinds of subjects ranging from urban poverty to caring for babies.

When World War II came along, she visited soldiers at the front and in war factories and listened to people. This same listening and caring about people was what marked her reign as First Lady. People recognized her as being someone who represented America, an America that cared about other people.

There is a famous cartoon at the time which shows an immigrant family on a ship sailing into New York Harbor. The mother is pointing to the Statue of Liberty and looking at her young daughter. The little girl says, "Of course I know who that is. It's Mrs. Roosevelt!" That says it all!

Answer 3

she changed the role of the first lady