Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) was born on this day in New York and orphaned by age ten. A shy child who found her voice in service, she became a fearless advocate for people on the margins and a model of compassionate leadership.

“I think somehow we learn who we really are and then live with the decision,” she reflected. Marrying her distant cousin Franklin in 1905, she helped him face polio and, as First Lady, reimagined the role — visiting coal mines, relief kitchens, and military bases to bring unheard voices to the center.

Determined to make the world more just, she championed justice for the poor, the young, and the excluded. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” she said — affirming dignity and courage for all.

After the White House, she served as a United Nations delegate and helped shape the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — work that reflected her belief in the power of empathy, action, and a lifelong education of the heart.

“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure,” she urged. “You have no security unless you live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively… unless you can choose a challenge rather than comfort.”

Adlai Stevenson called her “one of God’s noblest, strongest creations… She would rather light a candle than curse the darkness.” Her glow still warms the world.