Fundamental Freedoms: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

by Facing History and Ourselves

Surveying Eleanor Roosevelt's early years and then concentrating on her life-long commitment as an activist, "Fundamental Freedoms" tells of Eleanor's pivotal role in creating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust. As demonstrated throughout all four parts of this Facing History resource, Eleanor was no ordinary person: she redefined the role of a first lady as she established her own career as a nationally-syndicated journalist and continually spoke out on behalf of the underprivileged. In 1945 after the death of her husband, President Franklin Roosevelt, she participated in the birth of the United Nations and embraced a new role, advocating across the globe for the rights she fought for at home. This resource examines Eleanor's development into a diplomat and renowned human rights leader of the twentieth century, and shows the challenges and determination required to realize the UDHR.

Genres: History

280 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2010

Reviews

[Facing History and Ourselves]

"Facing History and Ourselves deserves enormous praise for producing this lively and accessible overview of Eleanor Roosevelt's struggle for human rights. Not simply a contribution to historical knowledge, the book is a wonderful tool for teaching, complete with every kind of guidance for readers and students, including rich questions for reflection. Throughout, the personality of Eleanor Roosevelt shines through both in the narrative and in the documents so pioneeringly assembled for wide use and alternative readings. In addition, the difficult constraints and hard choices Roosevelt and her colleagues faced in turbulent times before the Cold War, the era of decolonization, and new social movements are made plain." -Samuel Moyn, Department of History, Columbia University

[Rini Cobbey]

We should all read the primary documents on a regular basis.