Recently (before the federal government shutdown), I was able to visit the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, which I’d been hoping to do for a long time.

It was a great visit. The grounds were gorgeous, and we had an excellent tour guide who took us through the house where Roosevelt lived in much of her later life. We learned about Eleanor’s childhood, education, marriage and family, other relationships, writings, and community and political activities.

Eleanor hosted all sorts of visitors to her home – royalty, Nehru, Hollywood stars, friends like Pauli Murray, and JFK hoping for an endorsement (which eventually she gave, reluctantly). You can learn more about her life on the cultural landscape page.

The site included a biographical video, small exhibits, and walking trails that she traversed regularly. I especially enjoyed seeing some of her powerful quotations highlighted. Yes, I even bought a t-shirt and magnet featuring two of them.

Our tour began in front of placards about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which she saw as her proudest achievement. Eleanor had chaired the United Nations committee that drafted the declaration, which in the wake of the atrocities of World War II, aimed to find common ground among diverse nations and cultures about individual rights. Getting it passed was extremely difficult. 

I found the visit inspiring in many ways – except for one. It was clear that National Park Historic sites are feeling the chilling effects of the Trump Administration’s desire to control messages about American history.