|
Memorial
Franklin Delano
Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
"This Generation of
Americans..."
|
In his 1941 State of the Union Address, as the nation prepared
for war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spelled out "Four
Freedoms" as a reminder of what we must fight for. From
the days of his first Presidential campaign during the depths
of the Great Depression, Roosevelt spoke directly to the people.
"I pledge you, I pledge myself," he said in his 1932
acceptance speech, "to a new deal for the American people."
Four years later, he proclaimed that "this generation of
Americans has a rendezvous with destiny." Throughout his
Presidency, 1933 - 1945, he addressed America by radio in what
came to be known as fireside chats. Each idea, each phrase was
underscored by courage and optimism that inspired no less in
the people he served.
More than 50 years after Roosevelt's death, his own words call
out from the walls of his memorial as if he were somehow present.
Those of us who know FDR only as an historical figure will recognize
these words by their association with great and catastrophic
events. For the many Americans who lived through the Roosevelt
years, the words recall personal struggles and triumphs during
12 years that seemed like a lifetime.
|
