THE STORY IS NOT YET OVER

Franklin's death, on April 12, 1945, came as a shock to everyone. Eleanor suddenly found herself without her husband and political partner. Americans lost their leader, who they had elected an unprecedented four times to help them through the Great Depression and World War II. Eleanor wrote in her "My Day" column, one week after Franklin's death:

I had long since realized that life is made up of a series of adjustments. If you have been married for 40 years, and your husband has been President of the United States for a dozen years, you have made personal readjustments many times, some superficial, some fundamental. My husband and I had come through the years with an acceptance of each other's faults and foibles, a deep understanding, warm affection, and agreement on essential values.

Eleanor would carry on Franklin's legacy, as the first United States delegate appointed to the United Nations, and she would leave us with her own legacy as well. Eleanor continued to develop her own political ideas and maintained her power as a political leader. She continued to work for the goals that she shared with Franklin: human rights and world peace. She used her political savvy and power to help create the Human Rights Convention, and became known as the "First Lady to the World."

Through their political partnership, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt successfully led the country during difficult times. They supported and challenged each other in a dynamic relationship, which changed public view of the roles of President and First Lady. They shared their successes and failures, and relied on each other for political support. They rallied Americans during the Great Depression and World War II and left a legacy of democracy, strength, and hope for a new era of peace and prosperity.