Franklin D. Roosevelt
Thirty-Second
President,
1933–1945
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“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
—First Inaugural Address, 1933
Promise of Hope:
At age 39, Franklin Roosevelt contracted polio, which paralyzed his legs. In public he walked with the aid of leg braces and crutches. In private, he often used a wheelchair. Yet he didn’t let this slow him down. The United States was in the midst of the Great Depression when he took office, and his election offered Americans hope. During his first 100 days in office, Roosevelt launched the New Deal—a program that provided jobs, regulated the stock market, strengthened banks, and created the social security system. He served three terms and led the nation through much of World War II.
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Portrait by
Douglas Chandor
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1945
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NPG.68.49
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Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
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Fast Facts
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Party: |
Democrat
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Date of Birth: |
Monday, January 30, 1882
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Date of Death: |
Thursday, April 12, 1945
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Vice President: |
John N. Garner, Henry A. Wallace, Harry S. Truman
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First Lady: |
Eleanor Roosevelt
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