Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Visitors to this beautiful memorial can walk through the four terms of Roosevelt's presidency like a gracious, three-dimensional timeline. Roosevelt is featured in statues throughout the memorial in various poses from photographs taken during his time in office. Waterfalls grace the interior and exterior portions. His words are inscribed throughout – recorded from his speeches, which included weekly radio, or “fireside”, chats addressing the nation.
Roosevelt endeared himself to the country in these chats as he led them through two of our most difficult days, those of the Great Depression and of World War II. He was the only president to hold the office four consecutive terms, a tribute to the trust put on him in those trying times.
The memorial includes a statue depicting a bread line during the Great Depression, emphasizing the state of the nation when Roosevelt took the helm. A memorial wall shows inscribed the Four Freedoms as declared by Roosevelt in his 1941 State of the Union Address: The freedom of speech and expression, the freedom of religion, the freedom from want, and the freedom from fear. This memorial is a beautiful tribute to a favored president and a perfect addition to Washington D.C. student tours.
