Question

Discuss the role that Eleanor Roosevelt played in promoting equal rights for African Americans during her years as "first lady."

Answer 1

For starters, she was considered as the “eyes and ears” of the New Deal. During the Great Depression, she visited shanty towns, reported back to FDR and described what she saw and what improvements needed to be made. She wrote articles and newspapers of what was happening and alongside fought for women’s and racial rights.
One popular incident that happened was when Eleanor was going to watch African American singer Marion Anderson perform in Washington D.C. The performance was quickly cancelled because of the color of Anderson’s skin color. In response, Eleanor publicly quit the group she was in, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and invites Anderson to perform an open concert in front of the Lincoln Memorial. 75,000 people attended that show and millions of people listened to the radio to hear Anderson sing.