Eleanor Roosevelt will go down in history as one of the most active, compassionate, and productive first ladies in US history. Everything she did was led by her passion and care for people less fortunate than herself. Some even argue that her husband, Franklin Roosevelt, would not have been as good of a president without her by his side. We tend to think that's very true!
Though she never spoke publicly about it, Eleanor Roosevelt went through what most would agree sounds like child abuse at the hand of her governess. A Franklin Roosevelt biographer discovered old letters written by Eleanor, which described her fear of her governess, as well as physical abuse, such as hair pulling. Though these theories of abuse were never confirmed, she was a vulnerable child who would certainly fit the bill as a target.