Lesser Known Facts about the Roosevelt's

As a teacher, I feel obligated to assign my students a nightly reading out of their textbook.  Realistically, I know that only about 5% of my students actually read it.  I can usually tell which ones read the textbook and which ones don't.  When I taught AP United States History, however, I had a sure-fire way of finding out who the textbook-readers were.  

There was a section in the Great Depression chapter which was dedicated to Eleanor Roosevelt.  The section described all the amazing projects that she was involved in during her life.  Hidden in a little footnote, there is a blurb about Eleanor having a lesbian relationship with a reporter.  In every class, there would be one student who would raise their hand and ask if that footnote was true.  The rest of the class would quickly perk up as they learn this new piece of information (those were the students who obviously did not read the night before!)

I, myself, had never heard about that rumor, but I was compelled to do some research.  I found out that both Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt were very likely involved in clandestine affairs.  While many of Eleanor's relationships were never officially proven, they are generally regarded to be true.

Eleanor Roosevelt was the niece of President Theodore Roosevelt.  She was also the fifth cousin of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  They began their relationship when Franklin was a student at Harvard and were married at a relatively early age.  Teddy Roosevelt, in fact, gave Eleanor away at her wedding.  The first ten years of their marriage were dominated with young children.  Eleanor felt that all she did was make babies during those years.

Their marriage reached a crisis when Eleanor discovered that Franklin was having a secret affair with her social secretary, Lucy Mercer.  Eleanor gave Franklin the opportunity to divorce her.  Franklin's mother threatened to disinherit him if he did.  So, in the end, Franklin ended his affair and stayed with Eleanor.  For Eleanor, the romantic relationship was never the same for her after the affair with Mercer.  But, she always respected her husband and he continually looked to her for advice.  When Franklin was struck with polio, Eleanor became his "legs" as well.  She would travel for him and relay important information.

Eleanor was rumored to have a few affairs of her own.  She was close friends with three openly gay women.  They all lived in the same house together and Eleanor would often spend the night.  Some historians also suggest that she had an affair with her bodyguard.  But Eleanor's most famous possible affair was with a female reporter named Lenora Hickok.  It is believed that this affair lasted for many years.  Lenora did give Eleanor a ring at one point.  Eleanor had also written some very intimate letters to Lenora.  Eleanor's relatives deny that this relationship ever became sexual.  They claim that Eleanor usually talked to many people in an overly affectionate way.

I did not write this post in order to besmirch the good name of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.  FDR is personally one of my favorite presidents.  And Eleanor is far and above my favorite First Lady.  She was such a wonderful and caring person.  During the Depression, Franklin worked hard to help the "forgotten man".  But this forgotten man did not usually include minorities and women (they were too low on the priority list).  It was outspoken and compassionate Eleanor who championed their plight.