Even Eleanor Roosevelt Wrote Almost Every Day

"Of one thing I am sure, in order to be useful we must stand for the things we feel are right, and we must work for those things wherever we find ourselves. It does very little good to believe in something unless you tell your friends and associates of your beliefs."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Few people may know that Eleanor Roosevelt considered herself a journalist for a much of her adult life, and specifically, once FDR no longer served in public office. She wrote a newspaper column titled “My Day” from Dec. 31st, 1935 to Sept. 26, 1961. She wrote this column six days a week during most of that time. This is the largest body of her work. She did not keep journals, diaries, nor a detailed schedule. This column was incredibly popular, still running even after FDR left office and then died in 1945. It would ultimately go on to appear in almost 90 different papers across the country. While it began with routine activities about her daily life, she would also cover important political topics of her time. It was often used as a way to gauge public sentiment on big decisions and current issues. The column painted a picture of world events, but also the fine arts. She would often publish readers’ letters to her, threading an ongoing dialogue with them.

I would imagine that in addition to cataloging the events of her life, the column was a space where Eleanor Roosevelt could flush out her own thoughts on a matter. She could make observations from what others had said to her, and what information was given to her. Similar to what blogging, podcasting and social media do for us now, this column was a window into her inner world and preoccupations. I wonder how the act of writing itself shaped Eleanor Roosevelt as a person.

I cannot imagine what it would be like to have such a prominent female voice during that time. Eleanor Roosevelt’s reach and influence was widespread, especially when you consider the avenues for reaching an audience were much more limited at the time.

Take a look at some of Eleanor Roosevelt’s articles. Many were short, and her style simplistic. To view or read “My Day", you can visit the electronic archive here.