Perhaps the most important woman in 20th century America, Eleanor Roosevelt fascinates scholar and layperson alike. This exciting encyclopedia brings together basic information illuminating her complex career and making the interaction between her private and public lives accessible to scholars, students, and the general public. Written by scholars-including the most eminent Eleanor Roosevelt and New Deal scholars-journalists, and those who knew her, the 200 plus entries in this book provide easy access to material showing how Eleanor Roosevelt changed the First Lady's role in politics, widened opportunities for women, became a liberal leader during the Cold War era, and served as a guiding spirit at the United Nations. A unique resource, the book provides an introduction to American history through the vantage point of a woman who both represented her times and moved beyond them.

Illuminating her multifaceted career, life, and relationships, The Eleanor Roosevelt Encyclopedia offers the reader an unparalleled opportunity to examine the complicated and fascinating life of Eleanor Roosevelt.

MAURINE H. BEASLEY is Professor of Journalism at the University of Maryland, where she specializes in women and media. She has published seven books, including Eleanor Roosevelt and the Media: A Public Quest for Self-Fulfillment (1987) and The White House Conferences of Eleanor Roosevelt (1983).

HOLLY C. SHULMAN is Research Associate Professor at the University of Virginia. She focused initially on media history and is the author of The Voice of America: Propaganda and Democracy, 1941-1945 (1990).

HENRY R. BEASLEY has been Director of International Affairs for the National Marine Fisheries Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.