Destiny Cordle

Eleanor Roosevelt:  Assisting the National Youth Administration

The Great Depression is defined in the Dictionary of American History as “the longest, deepest, and most pervasive depression in American history, lasted from 1929 to 1939. Its effects were felt in virtually all corners of the world, and it is one of the great economic calamities in history” (44). During the years of the Great Depression, our country was led by President Herbert Hoover and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, it was the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt that brought about enormous changes to the presidential term while her husband was in office.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, born October 11, 1884, descended from a long line of wealth and prestige.  Eleanor was a Roosevelt before she married her cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt; therefore, she did not have to change from her maiden to her married name. Her parents were part of a social group in New York. This group only participated in the most status defining activities, such as, dinners and dancing with other upper class couples, charity donations to the hospitals, and reading familiar works of literature (Roosevelt 8). The Roosevelt’s social status was almost as glamorous as Eleanor’s lifestyle at the White House.

Eleanor became involved in her community through her family.  She realized that there were desolate people surrounding her at a very young age.  In her autobiography, she wrote, “Very early I became conscious of the fact that there were people around me who suffered in one way or another” (Roosevelt 12).  Her father once took her to serve Thanksgiving dinner to a homeless shelter.  Every year her grandmother took her to decorate a Christmas tree at the hospital in the ward that housed the babies.  She obviously recognized the differences in society when she wrote, “I was not in ignorance that there were sharp contrasts, even though our lives were blessed with plenty” (Roosevelt 13).

 Joseph Lash, a member of the NYA said, “The progress of the NYA became an astonishing revolution that Eleanor Roosevelt took great interest in.”  He continued by saying, “The first time Mrs. Roosevelt came to a Youth Congress meeting was in January 1936” (Lash 2). The American Youth Congress formed the National Youth Administration. Although the members were not aware at the time, Lash stated, “the idea for an NYA had come from Mrs. Roosevelt” (Lash 3). Eleanor would often visit and participate in the meetings that were held. One night after the meeting was over; several of the members approached her outside to discuss the current events of the depression with her in more detail. As she was leaving she invited the members to the White House “where she could talk off the record” (Lash 4). The topics of the conversations would often include unemployment and discrimination towards African Americans, and the American Youth Act.

Unfamiliar with the American Youth Act, I telephoned my great-great-aunt for further information.  “The American Youth Act was a bill that was sponsored by the American Youth Association,” she explained, “The purpose of this bill was to seek funds for vocational guidance and training, as well as additional resources for educational opportunities for high school, college, and post graduate students” (Miller, January 19, 2009)   Eleanor’s deepest concern pertained to the flaws in the Act and wanted the NYA to draft a revised bill.  President Roosevelt commented on his sympathy to the American youth:

Also, I am afraid that you have not done the things which would give me enough faith in you.  I have heard you make statements which were not correct and after they had been explained and corrected, I have heard you make them again. While I am certainly in sympathy with the youth of today, I do not think anything will ever be accomplished unless every question and every problem is honestly and fairly dealt with (Lash 5).

On August 22, 1938, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in her syndicated column, “My Day”, which was published by every major newspaper in that time, about her realization regarding the NYA:

The more I see of this group made up of young people from many nations, the more important I realize that it is that in every nation older people who can see the desirability of certain changes in our civilization should work with them.  In this way their thought and action will not be one-sided and the impetuousness of youth should gain some benefit from the experience of age (Roosevelt).

Eleanor Roosevelt made a profound impact on the youth of America during the Great Depression.  “As the years have passed,” Doris Goodwin remarked, “Eleanor Roosevelt’s influence and stature have continued to grow” (Goodwin, April 13, 1998).  It is unfortunate that she is not here to help Americans through another economic depression.

Works Cited

Goodwin, Doris. “Time 100: Eleanor Roosevelt.” www.yachtingnet.com. Time, INC. 13 Apr. 1998. 20 Jan. 2010.

"The Great Depression."  Dictionary of American History. Kutner, Stanley. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. Print.

Lash, Joseph. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Friend’s Memoir. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1964. Print.

Miller, Mildred. Personal Interview. 20 Jan. 2010

Roosevelt, Eleanor. The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1937. Print.

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