Eleanor Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt had been stricken with polio in 1921 and was nearly paralyzed. He could not walk without the help of braces—a Depression-era secret that the press honored for the good of the country. Eleanor Roosevelt became the eyes and ears of her husband during his three terms as president. She traveled around the country talking to people and reporting on social and economic conditions. The experience prompted Eleanor to take a more active role in helping people. In fact, she soon became so active in promoting humanitarian causes that her own reputation rivaled that of her husband. The following excerpt is taken from her autobiography and describes the Roosevelt's first frantic year in office. She discusses the effect her husband's programs had on the country and her visits with the returning Bonus March veterans.

During the early White...