The Death of FDR
as Understood
by Eleanor Roosevelt

In this eloquent piece Elanor Roosevelt, the First Lady attempted to make some sense of her husband’s death at such a critical moment in world history:

“Abraham Lincoln was taken away before he had achieved unity within the nation, and his people failed him. This divided us as a nation for many years.”

“Woodrow Wilson was also stricken and … the people of the world failed to carry out his vision.”

“Perhaps in His wisdom, the Almighty is trying to show us that a leader may chart a way, may point out the road to lasting peace, but that many leaders and many peoples must do the building. It cannot be the work of one man, nor can the responsibility be laid upon his shoulders, and so when the time comes for peoples to assume the burden more fully, he is given rest.”