Franklin D. (Franklin Delano) Roosevelt

Born in Hyde Park, New York, in 1882, Franklin Delano Roosevelt came from a prominent family, studied at Groton and Harvard, and later attended Columbia Law School before entering politics. He served as a New York state senator, assistant secretary of the Navy, governor of New York, and then president from 1933 until his death in 1945.

Roosevelt took office during the depths of the Great Depression and launched the New Deal, a broad set of programs and reforms aimed at relief, recovery, and financial stability. His presidency also defined the American role in World War II, as he worked closely with Allied leaders while guiding the country through wartime mobilization.

His life was also marked by extraordinary personal resilience: after being stricken by polio in 1921, he largely lost the use of his legs but continued his public career. Roosevelt remains one of the central figures in modern American history, remembered for his political confidence, fireside-chat style, and lasting impact on government and public life.