Report On Eleanor Roosevelt As A Human Rights Activist

Human rights are rights that every single one of us has just by the fact that we are humans. But it was not like that always. We didn't always have those rights. A lot of time, struggle and many fights had to pass for these rights to start being acknowledged and respected. Many people in the past dedicated their lives to the fight for human rights. They were not afraid to stand for what they believed in and they believed in a better tomorrow. They did everything that was in their power to make sure it comes true. But even now, after everything they did and all the progress, they made we still hear and read about basic human rights being violated all around the world. I decided to write about Eleanor Roosevelt, a person that not a lot of people know as a human rights activist. The reason behind this decision is that Eleanor was a strong, independent woman, fighting for the rights of others in the time when even women themselves had to fight for a better position in society.

Great Leaders come in all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and time periods. One of those Great Leaders is Eleanor Roosevelt, a hard-working mother, wife and politician’s right hand. She spent her time as First Lady changing the role of the First Lady. No longer would she be expected to keep house and entertain only, but make a difference in her own way, and make a name for herself that can stand alone from her husband. Eleanor Roosevelt was a Great Leader of her time, and her influence has continued to this day. On the other hand, before Eleanor Roosevelt, the role of the first lady was not a political role; it was merely just a formal title of the president’s wife. Eleanor Roosevelt paved the way for all presidents’ wives to come by being active in politics during and after her husband’s presidency. Of course, she did not have instant success; she had many trials which helped her become an important and influential role model. Eleanor Roosevelt’s dedication to her husband, her activeness in politics, and her volunteer work enabled her to change the role of the First Lady.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s strengths includes that she had reservations about being in the limelight, she did not want to just be a pretty face at her husband’s side, especially since she did not view herself as pretty. When Franklin Roosevelt could no longer travel and meet with everyone on his own, she stepped up to the plate. I consider this a wonderful strength that she and I share, adaptability. She saw what needed to be done and did it, for herself and for her husband, a task that she originally disliked, and avoided, she became an expert in because that is what needed to be done. I also believe that Eleanor was an arranger, because according to National Women's History Museum. n. d. “No wife of any presidential candidate had ever been as publicly active or vocal as Eleanor, and in just under a decade, she had become one of the country’s most astute political strategists. ” She became one of the top minds in a man’s profession in a man’s world, almost completely on her own. On the contrary, some of Eleanor Roosevelt’s weaknesses would be when her grandmother took care of her, Eleanor was constantly bombarded with insults about her looks, this greatly lowered her self-esteem and caused her to doubt herself for quite some time. Her insecurity began to improve when she reached the English Finishing School and the headmistress took Eleanor under her wing, but she never quite got over the doubt that she was not good enough.

Eleanor Roosevelt had many opportunities, some that she created for herself, and others that came with her position in the world. First off, she was born into a prominent family and as the niece of Theodore Roosevelt, she had money and was able to afford to go to a proper english finishing school. But not all of the opportunities that she had were just handed to her, she had a ‘network’ and used it thoroughly, she also understood that as the First Lady, she could have influence outside of the White House and she used it. Nevertheless, Eleanor Roosevelt had multiple threats. As a woman in the early twentieth century, Eleanor had the card stacked against her from the beginning. Women were expected to be the housekeepers, and nothing but the housekeepers. When Eleanor became the first lady, she took it upon herself to mold the position into something worthwhile, she held press conferences, entertained officials, gave lectures, and was not stingy with her opinions. Because of her stepping out of traditional women’s roles, Eleanor was a target for political enemies, this did not stop her though.

Eleanor Roosevelt thoroughly demonstrates two of the Three Skills Approaches, she spent quite a bit of time working for the rights of those who had none. This to me is a Human Relations skill, she worked hands on with people, and spoke for them when they did not have a voice of their own. Eleanor Roosevelt also seems to work with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. She begins hands on with humanitarian efforts, an example being the American Red Cross during World War I. This would have fulfilled Physiological and security needs of people. Having such a prominent figure in the day, spending time helping care for them, and showing an interest. Mrs. Roosevelt also worked toward equal rights across the board, African American Rights, Women’s Rights that could be considered working for belonging in the hierarchy of needs. Two examples of this can be seen when Eleanor cancelled her membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) because the DAR “refused to allow Marion Anderson, an African American singer, to perform in their auditorium. ” As well as when she flew with black pilots who were not being given full credit for their skill. The program for the Tuskegee Airmen was fully funded a few days later. Eleanor Roosevelt also demonstrates five of the Six P’s of Leadership. Her purpose was to make a change in the world, to change the rights of people that had none, and to create a niche for herself as First Lady, giving the First Lady a job to do. She surrounded herself with the right people, to learn from as well as those that could help her get where she wanted to go. She had a network and was not afraid to use it. She had a passion for what she was doing and it pushed her to become better and better every day. She pushed on even when things seemed like they were falling apart or when she was put down for stepping ‘out of her place as a woman’.

Great leaders like Eleanor Roosevelt are out there, waiting to be acknowledged. They are there, waiting for their time to make a difference. Each and every one will have their own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that they have to work either with or through, but each and every one either has or will make an impact on the world in their own unique way. Eleanor Roosevelt made her mark by helping those who could not help themselves and defining what a good First Lady should do and setting the precedent and bar high for the future.

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