Today I was able to visit Eleanor Roosevelt's home. Of all of the stops on the trip I was most looking forward to visiting here, and it did not disappoint. Roosevelt both lived at Val-Kill and used it as a retreat from the mid-twenties on. It was at this home that Eleanor welcomed world leaders, tested progressive ideas, lobbied for civil rights, wrote her My Day column, hosted family members and world leaders including Churchill, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth, and completed thousands of letters to the American people and others. It is on this spot that she and two dear friends Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman established Val-Kill Industries where unemployed locals learned how build furniture, weave, and make crafts to sell. Val-Kill is also the place where Eleanor hosted organizational meetings related to her work on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for the United Nations. The home was warm and welcoming and filled with family pictures. I loved the intimacy of the home and the beauty of the grounds. I found myself thinking of my Grandmother Cotton today as she introduced me to Eleanor, and she would have loved this tour! I was actually standing right by Eleanor's favorite chair by the fire where she liked to knit and read. Eleanor's legacy is great and visiting her home made me appreciate her even more. I very much admire her dedication to human rights, her fun-loving nature, and her work ethic. She was an amazing woman with a legacy that still lives on today.
No comments:
Post a Comment