The Roosevelt Story is a bi-weekly digest of programs, resources, and diversions. [Newletter Archives]

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Upcoming Programs | Program Archives | Teacher Resources | Features Stories | Newletter Archives

Upcoming Programs

The FDR Presidential Library presents a special exhibit opening program with panelists including FDR Library Trustee and Director of the Roosevelt House Institute for Public Policy at Hunter College, Basil Smikle PhD and President & CEO of the New York Urban League Arva Rice. 

This is a free public event, but registration to attend in-person is required. 

Black Americans, Civil Rights, and the Roosevelts, 1932-1962 

Special exhibition opens:
June 3, 2023

A new special exhibition developed in collaboration with a distinguished committee of scholars that centers on the historical voices of many Black community leaders, wartime service members, and ordinary citizens who engaged the Roosevelt administration directly and who pushed for progress. Within this context, the exhibit examines the political evolution of both Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt regarding racial justice.

Exhibit information»

Roosevelt Reading Festival 

Henry A. Wallace Center
June 24, 9:45am-5pm ET

The day-long program, in six concurrent sessions taking place throughout the day, will highlight recently published work by fifteen authors -- including a special afternoon presentation with Jill Watts, author of The Black Cabinet: The Untold Story of African Americans and Politics During the Age of Roosevelt.

This is a free public event, registration is not required. Copies of all the books will be available for sale in the New Deal Store. The program begins at 9:45 a.m. with coffee and refreshments.

List of participating authors»

Program Archives

FDR's Father: James Roosevelt 

Wednesday, June 7, 2pm ET

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(Original broadcast June 23, 2021) Much has been written about FDR's influential mother Sara Delano Roosevelt. In this talk, FDR Library Education Specialist Jeffrey Urbin explores the important values and influences instilled in FDR by his father James.

Resources For Parents and Teachers

Our education specialist has assembled 21 smart, fun activities for youth at home, that occupy young hands and minds while requiring minimal adult supervision.

View all 21 activities»

Features Stories of the Week

A. Philip Randolph's June 1941 Letter to Eleanor Roosevelt» 

As war mobilization began to lift the nation out of the Great Depression, discrimination by industry and labor excluded many African Americans from the full benefits of the economic boom. Civil rights and labor leader A. Philip Randolph threatened to lead a massive March on Washington and Eleanor Roosevelt helped arrange an Oval Office meeting with FDR. The President agreed to issue an executive order creating the Fair Employment Practices Commission.

Read more and see larger images»