FDR Memorial
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the nation’s longest serving president –
How should he be remembered? What is the lasting legacy of his leadership?
The FDR Memorial is the most expansive presidential memorial in Washington D.C. (7.5 acres). It is
divided into quadrants, each representing one term of his presidency, though the items within each
quadrant are not necessarily specific to the events of that term. As visitors navigate the memorial,
they are asked to reflect upon FDR’s contributions to both to the nation and the office he held. As
you examine the following images and quotations, consider how the memorial is asking us to
remember Franklin D. Roosevelt.
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A quick overview of Roosevelt’s presidency…
Term 1 (1930 – 1934)
FDR assumed the presidency at a time when Americans were roiled by the effects of the Great
Depression. His first 100 days in office resulted in the passage of unprecedented legislation – a New Deal
between the federal government and the American people in order to provide relief, recovery, and
reform.
Term 2 (1935 – 1939)
Building on the progress of the first New Deal, FDR spearheaded additional efforts to mitigate the
persistent unemployment rate as well as to create federal programs and regulations to support the
economic well-being of Americans. Establishing a national minimum wage and creating social security
are two prime examples of this.
Term 3 (1940 – 1944)
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When Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, FDR declared December 7 “a date
which will live in infamy” and ushered the United States into World War II. As commander in chief, he
was committed both to defeating our enemies in the Pacific and destroying fascism in Europe.
Term 4 (1945)
Newly inaugurated into his fourth term, FDR was optimistic about the war’s coming end. In the spring,
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his health deteriorated and on April 12 he experienced a cerebral hemorrhage that would end his life.
Vice President Harry Truman assumed the office to finish the work of his predecessor.
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A selection of quotes from the FDR Memorial:
"In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social
justice...the path of faith, the path of hope, and the path of love toward our fellow man."
"No country, however rich, can afford the waste of its human resources. Demoralization caused by
vast unemployment is our greatest extravagance. Morally, it is the greatest menace to our social
order."
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
"I never forget that I live in a house owned by all the American people and that I have been given
their trust."
"We must be the great arsenal of democracy."
"I propose to create a Civilian Conservation Corps to be used in simple work...More important,
however, than the material gains will be the moral and spiritual value of such work."
"We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all our citizens, whatever their
background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed
to attack our civilization."
"I have seen war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded...I
have seen the dead in the mud. I have seen cities destroyed...I have seen children starving. I have
seen the agony of mothers and wives. I hate war."
"The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one nation...it must
be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world."
"Freedom of speech...Freedom of worship...Freedom from want...Freedom from fear."
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Images of the different sculptures within the FDR Memorial:
A breadline – people waiting to receive charity during the Great Depression
A fireside chat – one of FDR’s radio addresses to the American people during the Great Depression
One of several “New Deal columns”
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