An Extraordinary Ordinary Woman

America's ordinary extraordinary First Lady
HUDSON—No other First Lady in the nation's history has had more influence than Eleanor Roosevelt,
a tireless advocate of the rights and needs of the poor, of minorities, and the disadvantaged.
Her role as a political leader is the topic of a program titled “Eleanor Roosevelt, Her Leadership
Then and Now,” was presented at a meeting of the Hendrick Hudson Chapter, National Society
Daughters of the American Revolution on Monday, April 27, 2015.
Kathleen Durham, executive director of
the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill,
delivered the program, which spanned the life of
the woman known as the “First Lady of the
World” and her impact on national and world
issues.
Durham is passionate about creating an
environment that fosters transformation and self
empowerment, ideal traits for the leader of the
non-profit organization that embraces Mrs.
Roosevelt's call to build a better world. The
Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill inspires and
empowers individuals and organizations to use
their time, talent, and resources to build a just and
sustainable world, close to home and abroad, by
providing programs and experiences epitomizing
Mrs. Roosevelt's passion and commitment to
human rights, principled leadership, engaged
citizenship, and social justice for all.
Val-Kill, the only national historic site
dedicated to a first lady, serves as a window into
Mrs. Roosevelt's private and public life. Located
in Hyde Park, New York, its understated beauty,
natural setting, and unpretentious amenities may
appear surprising to first-time visitors because of
its simplicity; a vision that seems incongruous
with expectations for the home of one of the most
influential women in American history.
The property was a favorite picnic spot for
the family. The idea for Val-Kill stemmed from one of these picnics with Mrs. Roosevelt's close
friends, Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook. During one lively discussion in the 1920s, Franklin
Delano Roosevelt imagined small industries that could keep farming viable during hard economic
times. Mrs. Roosevelt tested this idea and with her husband's consent, they built a cottage and
workshop. Financed with the women's income, Val-Kill Industries revived handcraft traditions suitable
for family-owned farms, such as furniture making, metalwork, and weaving. As a skills training
program, Val-Kill Industries later provided a model for New Deal recovery programs.
Mrs. Roosevelt and fellow activists Cook and Dickerman were dedicated to shaping politics and
policy. Together they created jobs, influenced party politics, and advanced social reforms.
During this time, Eleanor and
Franklin formed a unique partnership.
Driven by independent interests, they
were united by a strong, complex
vision and overlapping circles of
friends and associates. As FDR
advanced politically, Eleanor's
influence grew in both the
Democratic women's movement and
in the president's administration. In
Val-Kill's relaxed atmosphere, the
Roosevelts gathered advisors,
reformers, dignitaries, and even
movie stars to address pressing issues
of the times. Working together,
Franklin and Eleanor built alliances
and shaped national politics. Mrs.
Roosevelt transformed the role of first
lady, bringing decades of women's
social reform work to the national
political agenda. After the president's
death in 1945, Val-Kill became her
permanent home. For the rest of her
life, Val-Kill remained a source of
inspiration and a gathering place for
those who shared her vision.
Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill Executive Director Durham's passion for making a
difference began when she moved from Los Angeles, California, to Rhinebeck, New York, in 1988, and
opened her law practice in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1992. She discovered that her greatest joy came
from working with the community to bring about desired change.
While living in Los Angeles, Durham resigned from her position as director of labor relations
for the U.S. Customs Service to attend Pepperdine Law School in Malibu, California, where she
received her Juris Doctor degree in 1984. Subsequently, she practiced business and employment law in
California and New York before moving to Savannah, Georgia, in 1997.
In Savannah, she used her background in economic and small business development to serve as
vice president of business and economic development for the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce.
She also served as director of public engagement for the Savannah public schools.
While Durham has served on a number of non-profit boards and has been honored for her
service by various community organizations, she truly believes service is the rent you pay for your
space on earth. One example of her commitment to service was helping to raise funds for the American
Diabetes Association in Savannah, where she donned a pink sequined dress and kissed a pig.
Durham credits the leader she has become to Eleanor Roosevelt and the center that bears her
name, and the girls, men, and women who participate in its programs.
Durham loves public speaking and fishing, and is a wannabe writer of riveting selfempowerment books and articles.
Refreshments were served after the progam. Gretchen Maresco was chairman of the
refreshment committee and Vieve Gay was the hostess.