Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Part 1, 1884-1964 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
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
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Use Restrictions: The unpublished writings of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt are in the public domain.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
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Early Family Papers, 1860-1910 and undated],
[Series 2: Family and Personal Correspondence, 1894-1957 and undated],
[Series 3: School Exercise Books and Notebooks, c. 1892-1902],
[Series 4: Diaries, Address and Dinner Books, 1902-1932 and undated],
[Series 5: Special Correspondence, 1920, 1928],
[Series 6: Todhunter School Notebooks, 1928-1932],
[Series 7: General Correspondence, 1928-1933],
[Series 8: Engagement Books, 1925, 1928-1932],
[Series 9: Trip File: Europe, 1929],
[Series 10: Invitations, 1929-1932],
[Series 11: Prohibition Correspondence, January-February 1933],
[Series 12: Miscellaneous Clippings, 1929-1932],
[Series 13: Membership (10), 1934-1945],
[Series 14: Patroness (20), 1934-1945],
[Series 15: Invitations (30), 1933-1945],
[Series 16: Messages Requested (40), 1934-1945],
[Series 17: Gifts (50), 1934-1945],
[Series 18: Business and Commercial Matters (60), 1934-1945],
[Series 19: Correspondence with Government Departments (70), 1934-1945],
[Series 20: Office of Civil Defense (71), 1942],
[Series 21: Old Age Pensions (75), 1935-1945],
[Series 22: Social Events at the White House (80), 1933-1945],
[Series 23: Congratulations and Greetings (90), 1933-1945],
[Series 24: Gifts to the Red Cross, etc. (91), 1942-1945],
[Series 25: "My Day" Comments (95), 1936-1945],
[Series 26: Personal Letters (100), 1933-1945],
[Series 27: Comments on Books by Eleanor Roosevelt (101), 1937-1943],
[Series 28: Refugee Letters (102), 1940-1945],
[Series 29: Contributions (105), 1933-1945],
[Series 30: Autographs (110), 1934-1945],
[Series 31: Photographs (120), 1934-1945],
[Series 32: News Items (130), 1934-1945],
[Series 33: Merchandise for Sale (140), 1934-1945],
[Series 34: Material Assistance Requested (150), 1934-1945],
[Series 35: Genealogy and Biography (160), 1934-1945],
[Series 36: Appointments (170), 1934-1945],
[Series 37: Manuscripts to Review (180), 1934-1945],
[Series 38: Miscellaneous (190), 1934-1945],
[Series 39: Girl Scouts of America (200), 1934-1945],
[Series 40: Receipts for Articles Mailed from the White House (210), 1933-1945],
[Series 41: Prohibition (220), 1934-1944],
[Series 42: Topical File, 1933-1945],
[Series 43: White House Telegrams, 1933-1939],
[Series 44: Address Books and Index Cards, 1933-1945],
[Series 45: Engagement Books, 1933-April 12, 1945],
[Series 46: Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings regarding Eleanor Roosevelt, 1933-1945],
[Series 47: Miscellaneous Reports, 1931-1945],
[Series 48: Scrapbooks Presented to Eleanor Roosevelt, 1933-1945],
[Series 49: Admist Crowded Days, 1942],
[All]
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Series 19: Correspondence with Government Departments (70), 1934-1945 -
Correspondence, telegrams, memoranda, letters of transmittal, cross reference sheets, notes, reports and newspaper and periodical clippings. Arranged chronologically and thereunder in rough alphabetical order by name of correspondent.
This file consists largely of correspondence from the general public in which tens of thousands of citizens sought Mrs. Roosevelt's assistance, intercession or advice. The files of the 1930's reflect the plight of many desperate persons hit by the depression-farmers whose properties were being foreclosed, veterans seeking bonuses, medical help or hospitalization, unemployed appealing for jobs, funds or medical care, families in legal, social or financial difficulties of every description. The files after 1940 reflect general improvement of business conditions and the correspondence begins to deal with aspects of selective service, conditions in military camps and complaints about treatment of draftees. As the war advanced, the correspondence reflects pressures of wartime, appeals from parents for release of their sons from the armed forces, complaints about gas rationing, price control, race riots and shortages of goods and services.
Incoming letters, whenever possible, were referred to appropriate government departments for action, otherwise the reply was drafted by members of Mrs. Roosevelt's staff, usually Malvina Thompson or Mrs. James Helm. Mrs. Roosevelt replied to relatively few letters but she did carry on an extensive correspondence with departmental heads and federal officials, including all members of the Cabinet about matters brought to her attention by the public.
The file as a whole documents Mrs. Roosevelt's interest and involvement in civil rights, public housing, problems of youth and minority groups, social and economic rehabilitation, politics and education. Among those persons who had an extensive correspondence with Mrs. Roosevelt are the following: W.W. Alexander (Resettlement), Sanford Bates (Bureau of Prisons), Adolf A Berle (State), Francis Biddle (Attorney General), Chester Bowles (OPA), Wilson Brown (Navy), Edward Bruce (Fine Arts, WPA), John Carmody (Federal Works), John Collier(Indian Bureau), Jonathan Daniels (White House), Elmer Davis (OWl), John Fahey (Home Owners Loan Corp.), James Farley (Postmaster General), Robert Fechner (CCC), Hallie Flanagan (Theatre Project, WP A), Leon Henderson (OPA), Lewis Hershey (Selective Service), Frank To Hines, (VA), Ovate C. Hobby (WAC), Cordell Hull (State), Florence Kerr(WP A), Katharine Lenroot (Labor), Herbert Lehman (UNRRA), Frank McCarthy (Army), Archibald MacLeish (Library of Congress), Lucille McMiller (Civil Service), Paul V. McNutt (War Manpower), Henry Morgenthau (Treasury), Basil O'Connor (Red Cross), Frederick Osborn (Army), Thomas Parran (Surgeon General), Frances Perkins (Labor), Clarence Pickett (American Friends), Nelson Rockefeller (Inter-American Affairs), James Rowe(White House), Robert Sherwood (OWl), Hilda Smith (WPA), Edward Stettinius (State), Henry Stimson (War), Nathan Straus (Housing Authority), John W. Studebaker (Education), Rexford G. Tugwell (Resettlement), J. O. Walker (Resettlement), Henry Wallace (Agriculture), E.M. Watson (White House), Sumner Welles (State), Claude Wickard (Agriculture), Aubrey Williams (NYA), M.L. Wilson (Interior), Ellen Woodward (WPA).
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Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Early Family Papers, 1860-1910 and undated],
[Series 2: Family and Personal Correspondence, 1894-1957 and undated],
[Series 3: School Exercise Books and Notebooks, c. 1892-1902],
[Series 4: Diaries, Address and Dinner Books, 1902-1932 and undated],
[Series 5: Special Correspondence, 1920, 1928],
[Series 6: Todhunter School Notebooks, 1928-1932],
[Series 7: General Correspondence, 1928-1933],
[Series 8: Engagement Books, 1925, 1928-1932],
[Series 9: Trip File: Europe, 1929],
[Series 10: Invitations, 1929-1932],
[Series 11: Prohibition Correspondence, January-February 1933],
[Series 12: Miscellaneous Clippings, 1929-1932],
[Series 13: Membership (10), 1934-1945],
[Series 14: Patroness (20), 1934-1945],
[Series 15: Invitations (30), 1933-1945],
[Series 16: Messages Requested (40), 1934-1945],
[Series 17: Gifts (50), 1934-1945],
[Series 18: Business and Commercial Matters (60), 1934-1945],
[Series 19: Correspondence with Government Departments (70), 1934-1945],
[Series 20: Office of Civil Defense (71), 1942],
[Series 21: Old Age Pensions (75), 1935-1945],
[Series 22: Social Events at the White House (80), 1933-1945],
[Series 23: Congratulations and Greetings (90), 1933-1945],
[Series 24: Gifts to the Red Cross, etc. (91), 1942-1945],
[Series 25: "My Day" Comments (95), 1936-1945],
[Series 26: Personal Letters (100), 1933-1945],
[Series 27: Comments on Books by Eleanor Roosevelt (101), 1937-1943],
[Series 28: Refugee Letters (102), 1940-1945],
[Series 29: Contributions (105), 1933-1945],
[Series 30: Autographs (110), 1934-1945],
[Series 31: Photographs (120), 1934-1945],
[Series 32: News Items (130), 1934-1945],
[Series 33: Merchandise for Sale (140), 1934-1945],
[Series 34: Material Assistance Requested (150), 1934-1945],
[Series 35: Genealogy and Biography (160), 1934-1945],
[Series 36: Appointments (170), 1934-1945],
[Series 37: Manuscripts to Review (180), 1934-1945],
[Series 38: Miscellaneous (190), 1934-1945],
[Series 39: Girl Scouts of America (200), 1934-1945],
[Series 40: Receipts for Articles Mailed from the White House (210), 1933-1945],
[Series 41: Prohibition (220), 1934-1944],
[Series 42: Topical File, 1933-1945],
[Series 43: White House Telegrams, 1933-1939],
[Series 44: Address Books and Index Cards, 1933-1945],
[Series 45: Engagement Books, 1933-April 12, 1945],
[Series 46: Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings regarding Eleanor Roosevelt, 1933-1945],
[Series 47: Miscellaneous Reports, 1931-1945],
[Series 48: Scrapbooks Presented to Eleanor Roosevelt, 1933-1945],
[Series 49: Admist Crowded Days, 1942],
[All]