Facts about Franklin D. Roosevelt
- 12
Signed into law by Roosevelt in 1935, the Social Security Act established the United States' first federal old-age pension and unemployment insurance system.
- 11
A collection of 50,000 stamps accumulated by Roosevelt over his lifetime reflects his passion for philately, a hobby he maintained alongside his political career until his death in 1945.
- 10
President Roosevelt's closest advisor Harry Hopkins lived in the White House for three and a half years, serving as his de facto chief of staff and principal liaison to world leaders during World War II.
- 09
Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins, served in that cabinet position for 12 years from 1933 to 1945, longer than any other labor secretary in American history.
- 08
The Democratic Party's 1932 platform promised to repeal Prohibition, and President Roosevelt signed legislation in March 1933 legalizing beer and wine, ending 13 years of federal alcohol ban.
- 07
Roosevelt's fireside chats, delivered via radio to millions of Americans between 1933 and 1944, became his most powerful tool for building public support during the Depression and World War II.
- 06
Eleanor Roosevelt served as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly from 1945 to 1952, helping draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted on December 10, 1948.
- 05
Hyde Park, Franklin D. Roosevelt's ancestral estate in New York, served as his primary residence and is now operated by the National Park Service as a presidential library and museum.
- 04
Four consecutive terms as president made Franklin D. Roosevelt the only U.S. chief executive to win re-election beyond the traditional two-term limit before the 22nd Amendment restricted it in 1951.
- 03
In 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt met with Stalin and Churchill at Yalta Conference to plan post-World War II Europe's division into Soviet and Western spheres.
- 02
During his presidency, Franklin D. Roosevelt created 15 major New Deal agencies between 1933 and 1935 to combat the Great Depression's economic devastation.
- 01
Paralyzed from the waist down after contracting polio in 1921, Franklin D. Roosevelt won four presidential elections and served 12 years as U.S. president.