Women Transforming Language: Eleanor Roosevelt

Introduction:

Eleanor Roosevelt was once quoted as saying “Do what you feel in your heart to be right — for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t “(United for Human Rights). Eleanor Roosevelt was a woman ahead of her time, who came from privilege of class and education. She used this advantage to help address issues surrounding oppressed groups. Roosevelt should be featured in the next edition of Feminist Rhetorical Theories, because of her involvement in the progress of the role of First Lady, her contribution to human rights, and her continued efforts to help all individuals who were held as inferior. Addressed in this text is a short biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, her connection to bell hooks theory of marginalization and her connection to Cherish Kramarae’s equal access to information. Also featured, is her personal definition of feminism and her view on nature of the rhetor. This text highlights the main thesis for Eleanor Roosevelts contributions to both feminism and human rights.

Biography:

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City on October 11, 1884. She experienced tragedy early in life with the death of both her parents. Following her parents death, she moved in with her grandmother, and in her teenage years attended boarding school in England (Beck 32). In March of 1905, Eleanor married her 5th cousin removed, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Beck 533). They would go on to have six children.

Activism and humanitarian efforts would define Eleanor’s life. Her activism started in 1903, when she joined the National Consumer League and investigated the poor working conditions in garment factories (George Washington University 2008). Eleanor later became active in public service, working with the Red Cross to help service men during World War I (Beck 533). 1921 would be marked be the diagnosis of FDR’s contraction of polio, which would paralyze him for the rest of his life (George Washington University 2008). This tragedy would not hinder the couple’s determination to pursue a political life. Eleanor would encourage and support FDR’s pursuit for the presidency.

Her activism was not negatively impacted by her support of her husband. In 1922, she would join the Women’s Trade Union League, and in 1924 would successfully spearhead a campaign against the bosses of Tammany Hall, who rejected the women delegates selected by the women’s committee (George Washington University 2008). She would go on to lobby for equal pay for women, and front the child labor amendment. These successes would be the beginning of a long successful career in activism and human rights for Eleanor.

In 1933 Eleanor Roosevelt would become the First Lady of the United States. She used the privileges gained from her title to expand her activism (Beasley 518). In her first year at the White House she would travel 40,000 miles investigating social and economic conditions of the American people (George Washington University 2008). She would hold regular press conference, and is noted as the first, First Lady to do so. Conferences addressing the needs of women would become a regular occurrence at the White House (Beasley 518).

By the late 1930’s and beyond Eleanor’s support for civil and human rights would increase. 1939 would see her lobby FDR to push the child refugee bill, and she would assist Karl Frank in his anti-Hitler underground (George Washington University 2008). She would help relocate European Refugees to the United States. Her efforts towards human rights and liberties were not always successful, she would lobby against the internment of Japanese Americans, but as history shows us this would come to fruition. The day Pearl Harbor was bombed Roosevelt would address the nation, and would go on to link Aryanism to America’s segregation policies (George Washington University 2008). Throughout her three terms as first lady Eleanor Roosevelt would continuously break down boundaries and stretch the social norms expected of her.

Arguable her greatest achievement would come with her election to the chair of the United Nation’s Committee on Human, Social and Cultural Concerns, and chair of the UN Committee on Economic and Social Concerns, as well as being charged with developing permanent UN Commission on Human Rights (Beck 541). By the end on 1946, Eleanor Roosevelt would be synonymous with human rights. With her position as chair, she would be charged with the 18-nation committee, appointed to draft the declaration of human rights. In 1948, one of her greatest life works would be recognized as she presents the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the General Assembly for adoption (George Washington University 2008). Roosevelt would reluctantly resign herself from the UN in 1952, following the election of Eisenhower.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s final years were highlighted by her support of America’s Civil Rights movement. She would intervene on behalf of two African American boys sentenced in the “Kissing Case,” would support the Little Rock Nine, and later the Freedom Riders (George Washington University 2008). Her adamant support of the Civil Rights movement would result in a $25,000 bounty being place on her from the Ku Klux Klan.

November 7, 1962 would mark the death of Eleanor Roosevelt. She would die from complications stemming from tuberculosis (George Washington University 2008). Even in death she would change the social norms, by becoming credited with being the first, First Lady to have a “power funeral” (Peyser and Dwyer 2012). Prior to her death it was uncommon for any political or powerful individual, especially women to have a large publicized funeral. Despite her requests and plans, to have a small intimate funeral, her funeral would be attended by 250 mourners, some of whom included John F. Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the secretary of state, the governor of New York, and the U.S Ambassador to the United Nations (Peyser and Dwyer 2012). Her service would change how the American public would view and practice the rituals associated with funerals. Eleanor Roosevelt’s achievements and unwavering activism would be remembered generations after her death.

Textbook Connections:

Roosevelt has numerous connection to theories presented in your text. Two such theories that resonate with Eleanor’s stances and position in life are bell hooks marginalization and Cherish Kramarae’s equal access to information. bell hooks definition of the rhetor is “a person(s) who have the capacity to address the exigence of domination are critical thinkers or intellectuals (Foss et al., 63).” Eleanor Roosevelt fits in to this definition of the rhetor, because of her work in civil rights, women’s rights, worker’s rights and human rights, as well as her overall intellect.

As stated in your work Feminist Rhetorical Theory “Because these rhetors explore ideas in the service of challenging and transforming an ideology of domination, they are necessarily feminists in hooks use of the term- individuals who struggle to eradicate oppression and domination (63).” Eleanor Roosevelt was a woman who can be characterized as an individual whose life work revolved around the struggle to eradicate oppression and domination.

I suggest that Eleanor Roosevelt is a woman in the margins. hooks, asserts marginality as a rhetorical position of resistance. A position outside the conventional dominant power (Foss et al., 64). A rhetor on the margins has the ability to look both from the outside in and from the inside out. They have the capability of both understanding the center and the outside margins. Eleanor Roosevelt was the daughter of privilege in the form of class, society, and education. However, I argue that she was in the margins, she crossed societal boundaries of class, gender, race, political stature, and female norms of the time.

Through her challenging the boundaries set forth, she created new norms for the times. A specific example is that she changed the role of the First Lady of the United States. Through holding her own press conferences, being involved in creating political policies, and immersing herself with the public, she challenged the dominate norms of the time. From 1933 to 1945 Eleanor would hold 350 women only press conferences, a first of its times (Beasley 517). Due to her challenge of social norms, she faced criticisms from the dominate group, most notably men in her husband’s cabinet, political opponents, and male reporters, who questioned what role the First Lady should play. Her practice of stepping outside of these boundaries created new norms and set new precedence for First Ladies of the United States.

Not only does Roosevelt have a connection to the theories of bell hooks, she also has beliefs that are parallel to that of Cheris Kramarae. Specifically, to Kramarae’s theory of equal access to information. Kramarae’s idea is the equal availability and access to information to better improve the lives of women (Foss et al., 51). Kramarae’s theory of equal access is geared towards new forms of communication, such as computers and other digital technology (Foss et al. 51). While Eleanor did not occupy a time where the idea of household computers existed, I feel comfortable in asserting that she strived for equal access of information for not only women, but other minorities and oppressed groups.

I think Roosevelt created equal access to information for the American public, by using the technology of the time to reach the people. She publicly wrote and discussed various topics from politics to daily tidings. In utilizing such a wide array of communication platforms of the time she created greater access for the public. I acknowledge that she did not created complete equal access to information, but she did create more available access to information for the public. She held regular press conferences, conducting lecture tours from (1926–1962), wrote and edited for Women’s Democratic News, she delivered various commercial radio broadcasts and would go on to host an ABC and NBC radio program, she would host a radio show in French, for the French called “Voice of America”, she would write newspaper articles (My Day, and If You Ask Me), and she would right numerous articles, stories, and papers throughout her lifetime from topics of marriage to human rights and freedom (First Lady Biography). She created a more open form of communication and information for the American people.

Roosevelt would also strive to make equal access to information available to oppressed groups, specifically African Americans. She supported integration of public schools, in the belief that all humans had the right to a free and equal educational opportunities. Eleanor would also strive to inform the American people on political events as they unfolded. She would fight against censorship of the American people, during the reign of McCarthy and the Cold War (First Lady Biography). Roosevelt’s radio broadcast would help to spread political information, during a time of heightened government surveillance. She was a woman who wanted the public to be informed and educated, so that they could reach their own decisions.

Chapter Categories:

While Eleanor Roosevelt does fit into theories defined throughout your book, she does contribute her own theories that will redefine some of the concepts mentioned in the text. Her definition of feminism as well as her view on nature of the rhetor have similarities as well as broader definitions in comparison to the current theorists.

Some do not see Roosevelt as a feminist, and many would probably define her as humanitarian. I will argue that her humanitarianism is part of her definition of feminism. Roosevelt approaches feminism as a woman who by her sex is in the margins. At the center of these margins is the white male dominated culture of the time. A culture where white men hold ultimate power. They had the ability to flow fluidly within the social boundaries. Eleanor, would challenge these social boundaries and would forever change their parameters.

Feminism to Roosevelt, was not limited to white women. While she was a part of many women’s groups that were solely white women, this did not limit her scope of feminism to other groups that occupied the margins. Roosevelt defines feminism as a form to challenge the dominant oppressive culture, using language, activism, political participation, and non-violent protest. A large difference in Eleanor’s definition of feminism in comparison to other feminist is the use of political participation. She believes that the only way to make change for oppressed groups is by changing the internal workings of the dominant culture, and she see that the only way to do that is through changing the political system that upholds the dominant culture. The goal of feminism to Eleanor is alter the dominate culture to be more inclusive and acknowledging of all groups of people. This form of feminism is not restricted to any one group in regards to participation. Anyone who believes in the goal of internally changing the dominant culture and who actively participates in attempting to better the lives of humanity would qualify as a feminist in Eleanor Roosevelt’s eyes.

Roosevelt also redefines nature of the rhetor. To Roosevelt the rhetor can occupy any gender, race, or class. The qualified rhetor to Roosevelt is anyone who is a critical thinker who challenges the dominant culture. Roosevelt would define two forms of rhetor. One form is occupied by those who live within the oppressed groups, and who challenge the male dominated culture through rhetorical symbols. The second form of rhetor is the individual who occupies the dominant culture, but using the privileges awarded to them as a part of that culture, challenges the dominant culture, and attempts to change the institute. These two forms of rhetor are not mutually exclusive.

Roosevelt herself would fall into both forms. She is a woman on the margins, who was born into privilege, and acquired power through politics. Eleanor wants the rhetor to question the institute, fight for the oppressed, and stand up for all humans and the rights that are due to all human beings. She once stated “Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom come responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect” (United for Human Rights). Eleanor’s definition of a rhetor is any human being who acknowledges their responsibility to work towards freedom and acts on these responsibilities.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s definition of feminism and nature of the rhetor go hand in hand. The main goal of both rhetorical theories is for those who find themselves being dominated or dominating, to challenge this domination and work towards changing the institute through political means. She goes on to assert that if one falls into an oppressed group they have a responsibility to challenge the institute, especially if they have the means to do so. Roosevelt’s theories are not so very different from ones presented in the 1999 edition of Feminist Rhetorical Theories, however her theories do vary in who qualifies as a feminist or rhetor.

Conclusion:

I have presented to you why Eleanor Roosevelt should be featured in the next edition of Feminist Rhetorical Theories, through outlining her connection to bell hooks rhetor in the margins, and Cherish Kramarae’s equal access. I went on to show how her definition of feminism and her transformation of nature of the rhetor, creates her own individual feminist rhetorical theory.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s most noticeable achievements started when she was First Lady of the United States. Her efforts to better the lives of the ordinary, oppressed, and down trodden would not stop with the end of her office term, but would continue to the end of her days. She helped change working conditions, women’s role in politics, living conditions, and a host of other human rights issues. She may not neatly fit into the traditional definition or picture of a feminist, but as with her life, she made her own definition of feminism, that encompasses all those on the fringes of the dominate culture. Harry Truman’s coining of Eleanor Roosevelt as “The First Lady of the World,” is the most accurate description of her life’s work (Peyser and Dwyer, 2012).

Work Cited:

Beck, Susan. Eleanor Roosevelt: The Path to Equality. Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2004. Volume 4, №4, White House Studies, pp. 531–544

Beasley, Maurine, et al. Eleanor Roosevelt’s Press Conferences: Case Study in Class, Gender, and Race. University of Maryland, Volume 37, №4/2000, The Social Science Journal, pp 517–520.

First Lady Biography- Eleanor Roosevelt. National First Ladies Library, http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=33. Accessed 24 November 2017.

Foss, Karen, et al. Feminist Rhetorical Theories. Sage Publications, 1999.

George Washington University. Eleanor Roosevelt Timeline at Columbia College of Arts and Sciences, 2008. https://erpapers.columbian.gwu.edu/. Accessed 17 November 2017.

Giddings, Paula. Writing the Outrageous Life: Blanche Wiesen Cook and Eleanor Roosevelt. Smith College, 2010. Volume 10, №2, Meridians: Feminism, race, transnationalism, pp. 96–101.

Peyser, Marc, and Timothy Dwyer. “Eleanor Roosevelt’s Anything-but-Private Funeral.” The Atlantic. 4 November 2012.

United for Human Rights. Champions of Human Rights: Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962), http://www.humanrights.com/voices-for-human-rights/eleanor-roosevelt.html. Accessed 1 December 2017.