Eleanor Roosevelt

This 1946 portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) was loaned to the National Portrait Gallery by Ford and Marni Roosevelt.

“As the nation's first lady from March 1933 to April 1945, Eleanor Roosevelt transcended her role as hostess and proved to be a vital force in Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration. She took public stands on issues ranging from exploitative labor practices to civil rights and often urged her husband to advocate for causes he might otherwise have avoided. Her activism did not end with her departure from the White House. As a U.S. delegate to the United Nations (1945-52), Mrs. Roosevelt was instrumental in formulating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and securing its ratification by the General Assembly in 1948

This painting, which is based on a photograph from 1944, was created by a Polish artist and may have been presented to the first lady as a gesture of gratitude. In 1946, Mrs. Roosevelt repeatedly called attention to the terrible conditions in post-war Poland.” – National Portrait Gallery