The Roosevelts and The Mayflower

On March 3, 1933, FDR and ER stayed in suite 776 before his first inauguration the following day. ER was photographed in her gown by members of the press and FDR prepared for the morrow by finishing his speech. The famous line, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” was most likely penned that night in the Mayflower.

        Both FDR and ER attend luncheons, dinners, and banquets at the Mayflower throughout his time in office. Eleanor Roosevelt’s passion for progressive reform is evident from the organizations she participated in and met with at the Mayflower. For example, she attended numerous luncheons with the League of Women Voters of the District of Columbia. These ladies often referred to themselves as the “Voteless League” as they pushed to support DC voting rights.

        On October 17, 1958, ER returned to the Mayflower ballroom for a luncheon sponsored by the Democratic Central Committee of the District of Columbia and the Democratic National Committee. The luncheon was a fundraiser for the upcoming 1958 election and was honoring three living first ladies—ER, Edith Wilson, and Bess Truman. The event was first announced in the Washington Post as “First Ladies Day” and was advertised as a “$28 for ‘58” fundraiser (keeping in trend with previous DNC fundraisers: e.g. $24 for ’54). A week prior to the event they publicized that “globe-trotting Eleanor Roosevelt will make the first public report on her recent visit to Russia.” Edith Wilson was unable to attend the event due to health concerns, so the two remaining first ladies were given bouquets of roses and celebratory plaques. Bess Truman declined to speak, so ER was the featured speaker. As promised, she told an audience of over 1000 democrats about of her recent trip to Russia and the observations she made along the way. The Mayflower remains a prominent DC institution and has hosted many political functions in the decades since the Roosevelts left Washington.