Eleanor Roosevelt: A Restless Spirit

BIOGRAPHY presents an intimate view of the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. Along with her childhood experiences and personal relationships, it explores her role in American politics, civil rights, and foreign affairs. This program is appropriate for high school students.

1. How do you think Eleanor Roosevelt's childhood experiences contributed to her accomplishments as an adult?

2. As a young woman, Eleanor Roosevelt walked picket lines protesting unfair labor practices. Why would this be shocking to her social circle?

3. Eleanor said that she acted as her husband's "ears and legs" by traveling around the country and listening to Americans. Why was this a dramatic change from former First Ladies?

4. What made Eleanor and Franklin's marriage work as a partnership despite their separate personal lives?

5. What was Eleanor's stance on civil rights in the 1930's? Was this unusual at that time?

6. How did Franklin Roosevelt's death first affect his widow? Later, how did she respond?

7. Describe Eleanor's role in the United Nations. What made this unusual?

1. Write an essay on the following : Towards the end of her life, Eleanor Roosevelt said, "We shape our selves and we shape our lives. The process never ends. The choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why? What are the choices that Eleanor made that shaped her life? What are the choices you make today that will shape your life in the future?

2. When citizens vote in the presidential elections, they choose one candidate to be president. The spouse of the president is not actually running for office. Yet a First Lady (or, eventually, the president's husband) can be very influential in public affairs. Do you think that an activist First Lady is appropriate? Divide the class into teams to hold a debate on this question, using examples from history and current events.

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Air Dates

• October 11, 2004