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Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962)
Born New York City
Eleanor Roosevelt's life changed radically when her husband (and distant cousin) Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to the presidency in 1932. His mobility had been limited since 1921, when he had contracted polio at the age of thirty-nine. Consequently, as first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt often made public appearances in his stead. At the height of the Great Depression, she traveled widely to assess federal relief programs, and during World War II, she flew around the world visiting troops in his place.
When photographer Yousuf Karsh made this portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt, she was already the longest serving first lady, having lived in the White House for over a decade. She is pictured here with a pencil in hand, an allusion to her work as a journalist. Indeed, she penned over eight thousand columns for her syndicated newspaper feature, wrote twenty-seven books, and had her own radio show.
Yousuf Karsh (1908–2002)
Gelatin silver print, 1944
National Portrait |