Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States, serving an unprecedented four terms and leading the country through the Great Depression and most of World War II.
A polio diagnosis left him unable to walk unassisted for the rest of his life, a fact Roosevelt and a cooperative press largely kept out of public view throughout his entire presidency.
Taking Office Amid Crisis
Roosevelt took office in 1933 during the depths of the Great Depression, with unemployment near 25 percent and the American banking system on the verge of collapse, and moved immediately to reassure and stabilize a frightened nation.
The New Deal
Roosevelt launched a sweeping set of government programs known as the New Deal, creating millions of jobs through public works projects, establishing new financial regulations to prevent future banking crises, and creating the Social Security system, which remains a cornerstone of the American social safety net today.
A Private Struggle
Roosevelt contracted polio in 1921, leaving him unable to walk without leg braces and assistance for the rest of his life. Remarkably, through careful stagecraft and the cooperation of the press, he largely kept the extent of his disability out of public view throughout his political career.
Leading Through World War II
Roosevelt led the United States through most of World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor, working closely with Allied leaders to coordinate military strategy and lay groundwork for the postwar international order, including early plans for the United Nations.
Dying in Office
Roosevelt died suddenly in April 1945, just weeks before Germany's surrender, having been elected to an unprecedented four terms — a feat now constitutionally prohibited, making him the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms.
