Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Home Present "FDR's Disability: A True Story"

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site present “FDR’s Disability: A True Story” with Dr. Shelby Landmark.

While Franklin D. Roosevelt is one of the most recognizable disabled historical figures, his disability is most commonly represented in ways that imply he hid the truth of his paralysis from the public after contracting polio in 1921. Dr. Landmark’s research has revealed that the public frequently observed FDR using leg braces, crutches, canes, customized speaker stands, ramps, elevators, and even automobiles to navigate his surroundings. Rather than trying to deceive or convince the public that he was able-bodied, he wanted the public to see him as an able leader, not a “helpless invalid.”

Click here to complete the required registration. The event will be held in the Henry A. Wallace Center.