Franklin Roosevelt Character Analysis in The Road to Character

Franklin Roosevelt was the president in the stories of Frances Perkins, George Marshall, and Philip Randolph and either enabled or thwarted the changes that they respectively tried to make. When Frances Perkins first made his acquaintance, she was unimpressed, but she saw that after Roosevelt contracted polio, he became humbler and more willing to accept help than before. Although Roosevelt was loyal to Perkins and insisted on having her by his side while he was president, he was too afraid of soiling his reputation to defend her when the public heard of her personal scandals. Roosevelt wasn’t fond of George Marshall but gave him the position of chief of staff of the U.S. Army when a mutual friend recommended that he do so. Later on, he thwarted Marshall’s dream of being overall commander of the invasion of France in World War II; he asked Marshall if he wanted the position, and Marshall replied that the president should do as he saw fit. Roosevelt then denied Marshall the position. When Philip Randolph was planning his march on Washington to protest racial discrimination in the workplace, Roosevelt personally tried to negotiate with him, saying he’d call employers and make them hire Black workers. When Randolph still refused to call off the march, Roosevelt at last consented to pass a bill mandating that employers hire Blacks.

Franklin Roosevelt Character Timeline in The Road to Character

The timeline below shows where the character Franklin Roosevelt appears in The Road to Character. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Perkins ended up working with Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Initially, she was unimpressed by him, but when he returned after contracting polio, she found... (full context)

When Roosevelt was elected governor of New York, he employed Perkins as Industrial Commissioner. At first, she... (full context)

When Roosevelt became president, he appointed Perkins as secretary of labor. She agreed on the condition that... (full context)

Perkins was the author of The Roosevelt I Knew, the most detailed biography of Roosevelt to date. She noted his quality of... (full context)

Roosevelt didn’t always support Perkins against the dislike the rest of the Cabinet felt toward her.... (full context)

...accusations. She was cleared, but her reputation was ruined for good. She continued to serve Roosevelt quietly. When he died, she wrote his biography instead of her own memoir. She taught... (full context)

In 1939, Franklin Roosevelt was looking for a new chief of staff, the top position in the U.S. Army.... (full context)

Inner Life, External Life, and Character Theme Icon

...secretly wanted the job, and many told him he should have it. Even Eisenhower, whom Roosevelt visited to consult in 1943, thought Marshall should have the position. However, Roosevelt wanted Marshall... (full context)

Vice, Virtue, and Self-Confrontation Theme Icon

On December 6, 1943, Roosevelt called Marshall into his office and asked him if he would like the position of... (full context)

...Black people. In response, Randolph issued a protest march on the Washington Mall. This shocked Roosevelt, and he called Randolph into the White House. Roosevelt offered to call a few employers... (full context)