Wife of the 32nd American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, reformer, US ambassador to UN. Shortly before her death, she was voted "The Most Admired Woman in America" .

Eleanor Roosevelt was a tireless promoter of of liberal humanitarian causes - notably, her resignation from the Daughters of the American Revolution when that group refused to allow African-American singer Marian Anderson to perform in the Constitution Hall in Washington. As chair(wo)man of the UN committee for human rights she was reponsible for the creation of the Basic Laws.

She had a relatively open, long-term love affair with Associated Press reporter Lorena Hickok (documented in over 3,500 letters between them), a relationship concealed by the media from the American public.

Letters between the two show that they had an intimate and passionate relationship for many years. For instance, in a letter dated December 5, 1933, Hickock wrote to Roosevelt:

"I remember your eyes, with a kind of teasing smile in them, and the feeling of that soft spot just north-east of the corner of your mouth against my lips."

And on September 1, 1934, Eleanor wrote to Lorena:

"I wish I could lie down beside you tonight & take you in my arms."

Hickock was often a guest at the White House, but her image was usually removed from photos printed in the press at the time.

Book:

• This I remember (1949)