Source: “Mrs. Roosevelt First President”™s Wife To Visit This Territory.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 21 Sept. 1943, p. 7. https://www.newspapers.com/article/honolulu-star-bulletin/137963283/

Eleanor Roosevelt assumed the role of her husband’s surrogate following his contraction of polio in 1921. In his absence, she represented him at political gatherings and advocated on his behalf during rallies, forming a formidable partnership. Subsequently, Franklin D. Roosevelt served as President of the United States for four terms, from 1932 to 1944.

During her tenure as First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt’s active engagement was a rarity for the era. Beyond standing in for her husband and managing official White House duties, she juggled motherhood to six children and penned a column named “My Day.” She championed causes close to her heart through her column: a brighter future for children and equal rights for minorities. Additionally, she urged the president to appoint women to governmental positions and devoted herself to various volunteer organizations.

She expanded her commitments throughout the war by visiting wounded soldiers, adding to her already packed schedule. Eleanor’s public activism surprised acquaintances, considering her past as a shy young woman who struggled with speaking in front of crowds. Her determination to accomplish numerous goals led her to overcome her shyness. She sought guidance from a speech coach to enhance her oratory skills and purposefully undertook challenges to bolster her self-assurance.

Following her husband’s passing, Eleanor Roosevelt persisted in her public service career by representing the United States at the newly formed United Nations. Her tenure on the Human Rights Commission lasted over seven years, earning her widespread admiration and respect domestically and internationally. Upon her death in 1962, she was lauded as the “First Lady of the World.”