THE POWER OF WORDS Lessons from Franklin D. Roosevelt
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt, our 32nd President, was sworn into office in March 1933, the country was in the midst of the Great Depression. Thirteen million people were unemployed and nearly every U.S. bank had closed. In his inaugural address, FDR reached out directly to the American people, acknowledging their problems and then rallying them to work toward the nation’s healing. That first inaugural address used words that exuded optimism and confidence, and he followed them with swift action that unified the country.
This workshop looks at FDR’s first 100 days, when he set the country on a new path. Through his powerful words, the President helped people feel that they were part of the solution, that he listened to them, and that they had a champion in Washington.