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Community Corner

James Roosevelt Jr. Visits Greenbelt in Honor of his Grandmother

James Roosevelt Jr. visits Greenbelt to discuss his grandmother Eleanor's legacy and impact on the city.

James Roosevelt Jr. spoke to Greenbelt residents at the Greenbelt Community Center Saturday in honor of his grandmother Eleanor Roosevelt's legacy and to celebrate the city’s 75th  anniversary.

In the packed gymnasium of the community center, Roosevelt Jr., the son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's eldest son, James, recounted his personal experiences and memories of his grandmother. He focused on her life and influence on the city of Greenbelt.

The former first lady has had a lasting impact on Greenbelt and the world, he said, pinpointing the qualities that his grandmother believed to be necessary for fulfilling life and what he believes to be his grandmother’s greatest accomplishment—the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—which was adopted by the United Nations in 1948.

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In 1960, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a book called You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a more Fulfilling Life. The book was her attempt to answer in a collective way the hundreds of thousands of letters she had received asking her advice of the most mundane and fundamental questions of life, Roosevelt Jr. said. Some of these titles include, “Learning to Learn,” “Fear—the Great Enemy,” “The Uses of Time,” “The Difficult Art of Maturity,” “Readjustment is Endless” and “Learning to Be Useful,” just to name a few.  Her philosophy is apparent in these chapter titles and they embody what she thought were the 11 keys to a fulfilling life.

Roosevelt Jr. highlighted the chapter titles of the book, while exploring the messages behind each chapter and his grandmother’s outlook on life.

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“Do what you think you cannot do was one of her favorite sayings, and again that came from her personal experience. She never imagined that she would play the kind of leadership role that she played here and on the world stage,” he said.

“She believed that the purpose of life was to keep learning, maintain curiosity and to achieve self knowledge through self discipline. In that way she believed that one would never stop growing or contributing to the world around them,” Roosevelt Jr. added.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is her greatest contribution to society, according to Roosevelt, Jr.

“My grandmother’s work as a member of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights was based not on any academic credentials but rather on the respect that she had already earned in her previous role as first lady and her world wide reputation as a humanitarian,” Roosevelt Jr. said “She passionately believed that every person mattered and that by adopting the principles outlined in the Declaration of Human Rights the country of the United Nations would establish a worldwide acknowledgment of the dignity of the individual.”

The core principles outlined in her work serves as the foundation for forming the city of Greenbelt, according to Roosevelt Jr. Greenbelt embraces the themes of cooperative living, engaged citizens, and of a sustainable environment. These themes also embody the legacy of Eleanor’s mission and reflect her involvement and participation in the development of this city. Her ideals are preserved as a result. Greenbelt City council member Konrad Herling agreed.

“The legacy that she leaves is a belief that a strong community spirit can enhance the quality of life and can foster opportunities,” Herling said.

The photos of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt still reside over the council chambers.

Beth Olsen, a Greenbelt resident, wanted to get the perspective of someone who personally knew Eleanor Roosevelt and Roosevelt Jr. delivered just that. Olsen enjoyed Roosevelt Jr.’s personal account of his grandmother’s life and appreciated the contributions Eleanor has made to the city of Greenbelt.

“I doubt the community would have come about if it hadn’t been for her input,” said Olsen.

Eleanor Roosevelt has a huge fan base in Greenbelt like Rebecca Holober who said she has greatly influenced her life.

Holober lives by and applies Eleanor Roosevelt’s quotes to her own life. She had a printout of some of the former first lady’s quotes and said that these teachings guide her and has made her a better person.

“She was a one woman show who changed the face of humanity,” Holober said.

Holober thought that Roosevelt Jr.’s elegant speech brought out the best parts of his grandmother and rekindled her spirit. She was inspired by the tribute and continues to live by Eleanor Roosevelt’s principles.

Roosevelt Jr.’s most treasured memories are of when he and his family spent the summers at the family’s Hill Top Cottage in Hyde Park, NY.

 

 

 

 

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