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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 60

Interview with David B. Roosevelt, author of Grandm6re
a
personal history of Eleanor Roosevelt

I was twenty when my Eleanor Roosevelt was
& -
' -," ' grandmother died. It's a forerunner and an
" "'5L;x-- -j) _J
difficult to define the exceptional woman and
personal legacy she also the first President
provided for me. The one of the Human Right
lesson she constantly Council. What do you
:& itnbedded with her grand- consider her main lega-
!.' " children was simply, "Be cy in the area of human
proud of your heritage, but rights?
donotfeel ob%edto tty and

%"i. "' , I live up to the accomplish- My iimnediate reaction is to
ments of others...you must say that my grandmother's
always be your own work in crafting the
' -,'F;;Q" a'JJJ This has always Universal Declaration of

person."
'l"h' "; been the hallmark of my Human Rights stands out as
: 9-,,; .j'li i,N.Yl own life, although I must her primary legacy tn

-,-(,.-s
:, ,'ii ffl
'@ humanitarian greatly human rights. However, one
say that her example as a
consider her many
must
influenced my own years of dedication to
You have written a book Roosevelt, and why she professional path in improving the rights of
about your grand became the person she did. philantbropic management. women in the U.S. and
mother, Eleanor Her early years - her child- worldwide, her long work to
Roosevelt? What inspJ- hood, her fom'iative years as
Being one of the 22 improve the civil rights of
red you to do so? a young woinan, her begin- grandchildren of this all Americans, but
nings as a "political wife" - influential presidential especially those of African-
This is a question I asked all had tremendous effect on
couple, have you found Americans, and of course
myself over and over as I the woman she would it has been a burden her work to improve the
first considered writing develop into. With perhaps
carrying the name conditions for so many
Grandm6re. After all, there only a few exceptions, it is "Roosevelt"? If yes, in Americans living inpoverty.
had been numerous difficult for me to unaguie
what sense? She was a ttue humamtartan
biographies and books writ- another single woman, and
in the broadest sense of the
ten about her life and work, not too many men, in the
Iwouldnot say that cmrying word, I think. She ttwly
so what could I possibly twentieth cenhu'y who the name "Roosevelt" has cared about the well-being
offer that was different? To provided so much created aburdennecessarily. of all people.
my knowledge no one had inspiration, in so many When I was much younger
written about Eleanor ways, to so many people the
itwasacomrnonoccurrence
Your grandmother
Roosevelt from quite the world over. For practically
for people to question me seems to be still one of
same personal perspective all of my life I've hadpeople
about my grandparents, the most admired
as I could, as one of her 22 approach me and say, "Your
family, etc., but as time goes persons in US history,
grandchildren. Thus, what I grandmother gaye me the by and the memory of my and even in the current
tried to do was portray her inspiration to ....", maybe grandparentsfades,thatnow presidential campaigns
not only as an influential something small and happens only sporadically. Hilary Clinton would
national and world leader, personal in their lives, per-
That said, although beaig like to be the "new
but as simply a grand- haps a contribution to the name has from time-to- Eleanor Roosevelt".
mother. I attempted to do mankind, but in every case
time helped open a door or Could you comment on
this through personal they attributed their two, there have sometimes this?
recollections of myself and "success" to Grandrn6re.
been unrealistic expecta-
others, and with the liberal
tions that as a "Roosevelt" I Well, I think several
use of photographs, many of You were a young man can accomplish things accomplished
women have
which had never before when she passed away. simply because of the natne. emulated my grandmother's

been published. I wanted to What do you consider

Generally, however, the life; some successfully,
the reader to see a more per- to be her main legacy to
As
name has not been an undue some not so successfully.
sonal side of Eleanor you personally? burden.

for Senator Clinton's desire
2 2008 Diva 27
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