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Primary sourceSpeech18 July 1940

Speech at the 1940 Democratic National Convention

Eleanor Roosevelt · 18 July 1940

Eleanor Roosevelt's 1940 address to the Democratic National Convention, the first speech by a First Lady at such a gathering.

Roosevelt delivered this speech herself, the first by a First Lady at a national party convention.

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Black-and-white photo of a woman wearing a flower wreath and light dress speaking at a draped podium with microphones. A man in a light suit sits to the left, and photographers with cameras stand behind and to the right.
Eleanor Roosevelt addresses the Democratic National Convention, Chicago, Illinois, July 18, 1940.

About this source

What it is

This is a speech Eleanor Roosevelt delivered at the 1940 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where delegates were nominating Franklin D. Roosevelt for an unprecedented third term and debating the vice-presidential pick, Henry Wallace.

Why it matters

It was the first time a First Lady had addressed a national party convention, a striking break from tradition. Her remarks helped calm delegates opposed to Wallace and supported her husband's ticket, showing her own growing political voice beyond the role of a traditional First Lady, during a moment she described as 'no ordinary time.'

Look closer

  • Why might it have been unusual, in 1940, for a First Lady to speak directly to convention delegates?
  • What does her willingness to intervene in a political dispute tell you about her role in her husband's career?
  • How might the phrase 'no ordinary time' reflect the world situation in 1940?

This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Eleanor Roosevelt on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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