Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady of the 32nd President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, is often considered the most influential of all First Ladies, having expanded the power usually granted to a woman of his position to help the country adopt political policies that benefit the oppressed. Having often served as the eyes and ears of her paralyzed husband, Eleanor continually traveled across the country to inspect the social conditions in which the citizens of that region lived. If these conditions did not live up to his expectations, his ideas for reform could often be observed. in the policies of the Roosevelt administration. Eleanor Roosevelt transformed the role of First Lady of the United States of America through her influence on feminism, youth rights, civil rights and the arts, each of which was incorporated into the policies of the New Deal. A despondent New York native, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt spent the first ten years of her life in the care of her father and mother. Her insensitive mother, very critical of her daughter's appearance and personality, generated a feeling of embarrassment in the young woman. Additionally, her father struggled with alcoholism (Eleanor Roosevelt). After the death of her parents, Eleanor and her brother were left in the care of her strict grandmother, Mary Hall. However, Eleanor finally had the opportunity to become a confident and passionate young woman when she began attending Allenswood Academy in London, England at the age of fifteen ("Roosevelt, Eleanor"). If Eleanor had not been fortunate enough to attend this boarding school, the likelihood of her ability to boldly promote change in the world would...... middle of paper ...... New York: Viking Press, 1999, 88-91. Eleanor Roosevelt. ABC-CLIO Interactive, 2001. Electronic library. Internet. February 1, 2014. “Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights. » George Washington University. Np, and Web. February 9, 2014. .Franklin D. Roosevelt. ABC-CLIO Interactive, 2001. Electronic library. Internet. February 8, 2014. Mennell, Sue. "GREAT THINKERS: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962). " Training journal. October 1, 2007: 63. Electronic library. Internet. February 2, 2014. “Question: What New Deal policies did Eleanor Roosevelt influence?” » George Washington University. Np, and Web. February 8, 2014. “Roosevelt, Eleanor.” Elementary Encyclopedia Britannica. 2003. Electronic library. Internet. February 2, 2014.Eleanor Roosevelt, This I Remember (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1949), 162-163.