The Day Eleanor Roosevelt Visited Lethbridge (well the Lethbridge Airport)

The Day Eleanor Roosevelt Visited Lethbridge (well the Lethbridge Airport)

Did you know that Eleanor Roosevelt visited Lethbridge? Sadly, she only made a brief stop at the airport in March 1949 and virtually no one was on hand to greet her.

“Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, undoubtedly the world’s greatest woman, was a visitor in Lethbridge the other day and the only persons on hand to greet her were a newspaper reporter and a photographer.” (3 March 1949 Lethbridge Herald)

Eleanor Roosevelt was doing a speaking tour across Canada and spoke in Calgary. Several people from Lethbridge and southern Alberta were part of the crowd of 5,000 in Calgary to hear the former First Lady of the United States speak.

C.F. Steele, president of the Lethbridge branch of the United Nations Society of Canada attended as too did Beverley Craine, a member of the executive of the Junior section of the organization.

Her subject at the Calgary talk was related to “The Declaration of Human Rights” passed by the United Nations. Eleavor Roosevelt had chaired the committee behind the declaration.

The 8 March 1949 Lethbridge Herald carried an editorial on her Calgary talk:

“The morale of the world is not good right now. People are haunted by uncertainty, suspicion and fear. Casting its shadow across the world is the spectre of another war as the march of communism continues unabated.

Some five thousand Albertans heard Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt the other evening at Calgary speak on world affairs, particularly the United Nations’ ‘Declaration of Human Rights.’ They found in her address new hope and courage, much to build up their morales. It was a cheering talk, there was no blue ruin or war-mongering…. It was in a word just the sort of talk we need for these times. It gave people a lift revealing the blue sky amidst the clouds.”

Unfortunately, though there was a photographer at the airport, we have not yet come across any photos from the visit. If you come across any, please send them our way. We’ll keep our eyes open, as well.

[Background on Eleanor Roosevelt – Eleanor Roosevelt was an activist, diplomat and political figure. She was the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt and served as First Lady of the US from 1933 to 1945. From 1945 to 1952 she was the US delegate to the United Nations. She passed away in 1962.]