What do Eleanor Roosevelt and St. Patrick’s Day have in common?

So, my coworker Lindsey has inspired me to try a little trivia of my own (She does a Tuesday Trivia blog - check it out!). Good news is we won’t make you wait all day for this answer.

On St. Patrick’s Day, 1905, Eleanor married Franklin D. Roosevelt. You might think this would be enough to get into the history books, but Eleanor made sure to make her own mark in American history. Eleanor was by her husband’s side while he served as the assistant secretary in the Navy. And when World War I broke out in 1917, Eleanor was right there volunteering with the American Red Cross to canteen to the armed forces going through Union Station.

When her husband was elected President in the 1930s, Eleanor served as the Honorary Chariman of the Red Cross National Committee on Volunteer Service. Eleanor’s genuine concern for humanity was shown through her radio broadcasts and everyday actions. Whether asking for support of the Red Cross Roll Call or encouraging people to volunteer, the American public responded. Eleanor was very well respected in the Red Cross organization. In fact the American Red Cross Chairman consented to Eleanor reviewing how International Red Cross organizations operated when she visited American troops overseas in the 1940s.

It’s amazing to think Eleanor was able to continue her volunteer service with the Red Cross for decades while taking care of five children, helping her husband when he became stricken with polio in 1921, teaching at a school, finding a nonprofit furniture factory, and actively participating in several other organizations. If you want to know more about Eleanor, we recommend these three sites: Red Cross Museum, PBS: The American Experience and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. 

Kimberly Pratt is the marketing and communication specialist for the St. Louis Area Chapter.