Eleanor Roosevelt: the First Lady of Human Rights

Abstract

From her work for the Red Cross during World War I through her time as First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt strove to serve all people, regardless of their race or gender. This passion to care for the dignity and rights of all continued into her years of service as the American ambassador to the United Nations. While the favored solution for long-lasting peace in the postwar era was the diffusion of democracy and economic stability for all nations, Eleanor Roosevelt believed that guaranteed human rights for citizens of all nations would ensure future world peace, and it was for this ideal that she dedicated her later years to diplomacy on the global stage. A comparison of the prevalent ideology of the time with the opinions of Eleanor Roosevelt is made possible through a review of her speeches, journal articles, and writings for the UN Human Rights Council.