Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Part 1, 1884-1964 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

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Collection Overview

Title: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Part 1, 1884-1964

Primary Creator: Roosevelt, Eleanor (1884-1962)

Extent: 889.62 Cubic Feet

Arrangement:

The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers is organized into three distinct parts - pre-White House material, White House material, and post-White House material. Within those parts, the collection is arranged into 63 series. The series are generally arranged chronologically and then aplhabetically thereunder.

Due to the large size of the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, the online finding aid has been divided into three sections. Part 1 covers boxes 1-1395.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection contains material accumulated by Anna Eleanor Roosevelt during her lifetime. The pre-White House material includes early family papers, school exercise books, and correspondence with family and friends up to her years as the wife of the governor of New York. The White House material contains correspondence with family, friends, the general public, and government officials. The general public wrote requesting material assistance; commenting on her activities as First Lady, including her trips, speeches and articles; seeking her patronage; requesting an autograph, photograph or invitation to the White House; invitations to events, and sending her gifts. The correspondence with government officials asks their help in finding work, saving homes and farms and other assistance requests. The post-White House material contains correspondence with family, friends, the general public and government officials. This material also includes her correspondence and other material pertaining to her term as a delegate to the United Nations and as Chairman of the Human Rights Committee. The collection also contains copies of a number of her speeches and articles including her "My Day" column.

Administrative Information

Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Access Restrictions: The papers contain material restricted in accordance with Executive Order 12958, and material which might constitute the invasion of privacy of living persons has been closed.

Use Restrictions: The unpublished writings of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt are in the public domain. Mrs. Roosevelt's published writings are subject to her literary estate.

Acquisition Method: The papers of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt were donated by Mrs. Roosevelt and her children.

Related Materials: Numerous collections in the Library including: President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Official, Personal and Secretary’s Files; Franklin D. Roosevelt: Papers pertaining to Family, Business and Personal Affairs; Franklin D. Roosevelt: Papers as Vice Presidential Candidate, 1920; Franklin D. Roosevelt: Papers as Governor of New York, 1929 -1932; Eleanor Roosevelt Oral History project; Papers of Anna Roosevelt Halsted; Papers of Lorena Hickok; and Roosevelt Family Papers Donated by the Children of Franklin, Eleanor Roosevelt, and John A. Roosevelt.

Box and Folder Listing

Series 13: Membership (10), 1934-1945

Correspondence, memoranda, telegrams, newspaper clippings, pamphlets and other printed materials. Arranged chronologically and thereunder in rough alphabetical order by name of correspondent or organization. These papers concern Mrs. Roosevelt's activities in public service organizations. They also include invitations to membership, acceptances, declinations, resignations and related correspondence, usually descriptive material pertaining to the work of the organization.

Among the organizations represented are: American Emergency Campaign of the British Relief Society, American Federation of Radio Artists, American Friends Service Committee, American Red Cross, Children's Aid Society, China Emergency Relief Committee, Daughters of the American Revolution, Girl Scouts, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Institute of Social Sciences, Newspaper Guild of New York, New York State Grange and the Society of American Arts and Letters.

Replies were prepared and signed either by Malvina Thompson, secretary to Mrs. Roosevelt, or by the Administrative Officer of Social Correspondence in the White House. Many incoming letters include marginal notes in Mrs. Roosevelt's hand indicating the reply.

Sub-Series 1: Memberships Accepted (10.1)

Box 14

1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939

Box 15

1940
1941
1942
1943

Box 16

1944
1945

Sub-Series 2: Memberships Declined (10.2)

Box 16

January-April 1934
May-December 1934
January-April 1935

Box 17

May-December 1935
January-March 1936
April-December 1936
January-June 1937
July-December 1937
January-June 1938

Box 18

July-December 1938
January-May 1939
June-December 1939
January-May 1940
June-December 1940

Box 19

January-March 1941
April 1941
May-June 1941
July-September 1941
October-December 1941
January-May 1942

Box 20

June-December 1942
1943
1944
1945

Sub-Series 3: Memberships - Miscellaneous (10.9)

Box 20

1933-1938
1939-1945