Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City. She always wanted to be called Eleanor. Both Eleanor’s parents died by the time she was ten. At 15, she went to school in England. Eleanor felt she was ugly. But she learned to be confident there.

When she came back, she became a social worker. Eleanor helped the poor people of New York City. She taught people how to get better jobs. Eleanor worked to make jobs safe. She helped the workers get better wages.

Eleanor met Franklin Roosevelt, a distant relative, during a train ride. They married in 1905. Together they had six children. Franklin got polio in 1921. Eleanor became active in politics. She worked hard for women’s rights. She also helped Franklin run for governor of New York State.

In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt was elected President of the United States. Eleanor wanted to be a new kind of First Lady. She talked to the reporters. She went all around the country. During World War II, Mrs. Roosevelt visited U.S. soldiers. She wrote newspaper articles. She was against racism. She cared about the problems of women.

President Franklin died in 1945. The new President, Harry S. Truman, sent Eleanor to the United Nations. Later, President John F. Kennedy asked her to help, too.

Eleanor wrote books. She stayed active in politics. She always tried to make things better for women.

Eleanor got sick. Doctors had trouble figuring out what was wrong. She died at home at the age of 78.