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Use Restrictions: The unpublished writings of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt are in the public domain.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 25: "My Day" Comments (95), 1936-1945

Correspondence, memoranda, periodical and newspaper clippings, pamphlets and other printed materials. Arranged chronologically and thereunder in rough alphabetical order. This file concerns the public's reaction to statements and opinions made by Mrs. Roosevelt in her "My Day" column, a syndicated feature that appeared in approximately ninety newspapers throughout the country. This daily column, written in an informal style, began in 1936, and, according to Malvina Thompson, carried a "resume of Mrs. Roosevelt's day's activities and an occasional expression of her thought on current events." Much of the correspondence contains friendly expressions of views prompted by her discussions of personalities, events, personal and family problems.

There is correspondence discussing current affairs; letters protesting the anti-Roosevelt articles of Westbook Pegler; messages of appreciation for her defense of minority groups, individual rights and social reform; and letters relating to Mrs. Roosevelt's support or opposition to pending legislation in Congress. Also material from commercial enterprises and social service agencies requesting support for their activities.

Replies were usually prepared by Malvina Thompson although Mrs. Roosevelt did express her views on current problems to a few friends or leaders in education, suffrage, welfare and politics. A selected list includes: Douglas Chandor (painter), Carrie Chapman Catt (suffragette, lecturer), James B. Conant (scientist, government official), Amelia Earhart (aviatrix). Helen Keller (author, lecturer), David K. Niles (government official), Mary T. Norton (congresswoman), Caroline O'Day (congresswoman), Drew Pearson (columnist), Vincent Sheehan (author), Cornelia Otis Skinner (actress, authoress), Ida M. Tarbell (biographer), Dorothy Thompson (journalist), and Mary E. Wooley (college president).

Box 547

A-Be, 1936
Bi-Ca, 1936
Ce-D, 1936

Box 548

E-Gi, 1936
Gl-H, 1936
I-K, 1936
L, 1936
M, 1936
N-P, 1936

Box 549

R-Sc, 1936
Se-Sy, 1936
T-Wa, 1936
We-Z, 1936
A-Be, 1937
Bi-By, 1937

Box 550

C, 1937
D, 1937
E-F, 1937
G-Han, 1937
Har-Hu, 1937
I-K, 1937

Box 551

L, 1937
Ma-Mc, 1937
Me-My, 1937
N-O, 1937
P, 1937
Q-R, 1937

Box 552

Sa-Sl, 1937
Sm-Sy, 1937
T-V, 1937
Wa-Wh, 1937
Wi-Z, 1937
A-Be, 1938

Box 553

Bi-By, 1938
C, 1938
D, 1938
E-F, 1938
G, 1938
Ha-He, 1938

Box 554

Hi-Hy, 1938
I-J, 1938
K, 1938
L, 1938
Ma-Mc, 1938
Me-My, 1938
N-O, 1938

Box 555

P, 1938
R, 1938
Sa-Sh, 1938
Si-Sz, 1938
T-V, 1938
Wa-Wil, 1938
Wim-Z, 1938

Box 556

A, 1939
Ba-Be, 1939
Bi-Bre, 1939
Bri-By, 1939
Ca-Ch, 1939
Ci-Cu, 1939

Box 557

D, 1939
E, 1939
F, 1939
G, 1939
Ha-Hen, 1939
Her-Hy, 1939
Hillsmith, C., 1939

Box 558

I-J, 1939
K, 1939
L, 1939
Ma, 1939
Mc-Me, 1939
Mi-My, 1939

Box 559

N-O, 1939
Pa-Pi, 1939
Pl-Q, 1939
R, 1939
Sa-Sl, 1939
Sm-Sy, 1939

Box 560

T, 1939
U-Wa, 1939
We-Wh, 1939
Wi-Z, 1939
A-Be, 1940
Bi-Bo, 1940
Bri-By, 1940

Box 561

Ca-Ch, 1940
Ci-Cu, 1940
Da-Do, 1940
Dr-E, 1940
F, 1940
G, 1940
Ha-Hen, 1940

Box 562

Her-Hu, 1940
I-K, 1940
Kennedy, W.F., 1940
L, 1940
Leibert, E.R., 1940
Ma-Mc, 1940
Me-My, 1940

Box 563

N-Q, 1940
R, 1940
Reid, Charles F., 1940
Sa-Si, 1940
Sl-Sz, 1940
T, 1940
U-Wh, 1940

Box 564

Wi-Z, 1940
A-Bl, 1941
Bo-By, 1941
C, 1941
D, 1941
E-F, 1941

Box 565

G, 1941
H, 1941
I-K, 1941
L, 1941
M, 1941
N-P, 1941

Box 566

Q-R, 1941
Sa-So, 1941
Sp-T, 1941
V-Z, 1941
Reactions to: A-M, January 7, 1941
Reactions to: N-Z, January 7, 1941

Box 567

A-B, 1942
C, 1942
D-F, 1942
G-Ha, 1942
He-J, 1942
K-L, 1942
M, 1942

Box 568

N-Q, 1942
R, 1942
Sa-Shi, 1942
Sho-Sz, 1942
T-Z, 1942
Williams, Florence A., 1942
A-B, 1943

Box 569

E-F, 1943
G-H, 1943
I-L, 1943
M, 1943
N-So, 1943
Sp-Z, 1943

Box 570

A-B, 1944
C-F, 1944
G-J, 1944
K-L, 1944
M-P, 1944
R-S, 1944

Box 571

T-Z, 1944
Reactions to: A-L, January 6, 1944
Reactions to: M-Z, January 6, 1944
A-M, 1945
N-Z, 1945