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The Eleanor Roosevelt Center
Champions Intellectual Freedom
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In keeping with Eleanor Roosevelt’s passion for literacy, libraries, and intellectual freedom, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center proudly presented awards for Bravery in Literature to seven authors whose works focus on racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender equality. Almost 600 guests filled the Fisher Center at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, on February 17 at this inaugural event. | | |
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Authors Laurie Halse Anderson (Shout), Mike Curato (Flamer), Alex Gino (Melissa), George M. Johnson (All Boys Aren’t Blue), Maia Kobabe (Gender Queer), and Jelani Memory (A Kids Book About Racism), received awards for their respective works which have advanced civil and human rights in the face of rising censorship. | |
Judy Blume
Lifetime Achievement Award
Judy Blume has written numerous bestselling books for young readers and adults. She's been recognized as a Literary Legend by the Library of Congress. Blume's advocacy for intellectual freedom spans over four decades, and she was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2023. An Emmy-nominated documentary and a major motion picture based on her iconic novel "Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret" is currently streaming.
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When asked about the award, Mrs. Blume stated, "I'm thrilled to be connected to Eleanor Roosevelt through this generous award." | |
To learn more about our awardees and speakers, click here | |
The Bravery in Literature Award | | |
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ERVK's award for "Bravery in Literature" honors those writers whose stories face frequent challenges and bans throughout the country. To Eleanor Roosevelt, the dangers of censorship would have been obvious if one considered the traumas of WWII and our own McCarthy era. "My great-grandmother would have regarded the banning of books with nothing but scorn. In her view, a truly democratic society allows all its children and young adults to freely access books and stories not often told. Eleanor Roosevelt saw the importance, indeed the right, of every child to find their true selves in a book." Anna Eleanor Fierst
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George McCalman is an artist and creative director based in San Francisco. His design studio McCalmanCo collaborates with a wide range of cultural clients. He is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. His ‘Observed’ and ‘First Person’ columns document Bay Area culture. His first book ‘Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and Unseen’ was published in Sept 2022.
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First Installment of our Author Speaker Series! | | |
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When: May 11th, 2024
Where: The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill Conference Building
This is a ticketed event. Refreshments will be served.
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Join us on Saturday, May 11th for a presentation by Shannon McKenna Schmidt; She will discuss her book The First Lady of WWII. Shannon will take you on a journey through Eleanor Roosevelt's daring 25,000-mile trek to an active war zone during World War II. In the words of a reporter at the time, it was "the most remarkable journey any president's wife has ever made."
Keep an eye on your inbox - registration will open soon.
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The First Lady of WWII
Shannon McKenna Schmidt
On August 27, 1943, news broke in the American press that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was on the other side of the world. A closely guarded secret, she had left San Francisco aboard a lumbering military transport plane headed for the South Pacific. Her mission: to support our soldiers, and report on their conditions. An unprecedented trip (even for Mrs. Roosevelt), this is the first full story of her
courageous journey to the Pacific Theater at a time when Allied forces were battling the Japanese for control over far-flung islands. The First Lady's wish to support our servicemen (see her My Day column below) played out over five grueling weeks during which she brought comfort to hundreds of wounded soldiers while bringing news to millions of Americans about this critical war zone.
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Eleanor's My Day Quote,
September 1943
WELLINGTON, N.Z.—(Delayed)—As I went through the wards of one of the New Caledonia hospitals, I came to a man with his right arm gone, but he was not downhearted. "I can tie my tie with my left hand already," he said. He knew that he was started on the long trip homeward and he could go on with his job. His next words took my breath away, however, "I come from Dutchess County, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and when you get home tell the boys at the toll booth on Mid-hudson Bridge that you saw Nick," so, now my fellow townsmen, I am telling you and please give him a warm welcome for he's a brave man.
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Meet The Newest Member of our Staff | | |
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Angelina Giordani, Administrative Assistant
We're pleased to welcome Angelina Giordani to our staff. Angelina started as an intern and consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to the organization's values. When the position of Administrative Assistant opened in November, we asked her to come on board. We love the energy she brings to the Eleanor Roosevelt Center.
"After years of admiring Eleanor Roosevelt, I am honored to work for an organization responsible for advancing her legacy."
Angelina Giordani
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Support the Eleanor Roosevelt Center | |
For a $100 donation, you will get a FREE TOTE BAG! | |
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Your donation helps us to create programming that ensures positive change at the intersection of the issues Eleanor Roosevelt cared about most: social justice and equality.
Your gift today will help us to continue to fulfill Eleanor’s legacy as a leader and change-maker at a time when her insights and wisdom are so urgently needed. Make your gift here.
Or send a check to:
The Eleanor Roosevelt Center
P.O. Box 255, Hyde Park, NY 12538
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The Eleanor Roosevelt Center | Website | |
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