The First Ladies

In DC, 1933, Eleanor and Sara meet with Walter White for tea while Franklin is away on a river excursion. When Franklin returns, he finds the three talking in the White House office. Eleanor notes he’s furious, a rare emotion for him, perhaps because someone outside the family is seeing him in his wheelchair or because they pushed the secret meeting on him. Sara uses her motherly guilt to get Franklin to listen to Walter, who speaks about poverty, unemployment, and lynching. He gives a speech about lynching as murder and how the law needs to protect Black people and punish the criminals; otherwise, it’s anarchy without trials or judges, just murders.

Franklin states that Walter has been primed and prepared for this meeting, and he blames Eleanor. Sara takes the blame, insisting she helped Walter because stopping lynchings is too important. Franklin never disobeys his mother, so he tells Walter he cares deeply but must pass the New Deal. If he passes the anti-lynching law, the Southern Democrats will revolt, and his other initiatives will fail. He refuses to support the legislation.

In New York City, 1935, Eleanor attends an art gallery showing an anti-lynching exhibit hosted by the NAACP. Due to recent threats against the NAACP and its members, Earl stays closely by her side. She tours the exhibit, titled An Art Commentary on Lynching, with Walter White, Mary, and an artist named Hale Woodruff. Walter designed the exhibit with various artists to bring nationwide awareness to the horrors of lynching. Mr. Woodruff’s piece, titled By Parties Unknown, shows a Black man’s dead body, a noose around his neck, on church steps. When Eleanor asks about the title, Mr. Woodruff explains that the police and other authorities use this phrase “by parties unknown” to describe perpetrators anonymously, even if they know the perpetrators. The church setting is to illustrate the hypocrisy of those responsible, many of whom consider themselves Christian.

They continue through the exhibit, deeply moved by the paintings and artwork. The final piece, captioned “This is her first lynching” (189), portrays a smiling, excited crowd of people gazing at something out of view. One woman carries a little girl on her shoulders. Eleanor finds this image “disturbing” because she knows silence or inaction in response to violence is tantamount to supporting the violence. Walter says the entire exhibit is meant to show people Black experiences and ask how they can be considered a civilized nation when “torture and murder routinely happen without regard or punishment” (189).

In DC, 1935, Eleanor is bombarded by Steve Woodburn, one of Franklin’s advisers. Steve admonishes Eleanor for her involvement with the NAACP, attending the anti-lynching art show, and more. He tells her to rein in Walter White’s constant letters, photos, and pleadings with Franklin about the anti-lynching bill. Eleanor is offended, stating she doesn’t command Walter White.

She goes to her office, where her assistant shows her a memo from Steve about Walter’s “inappropriate” and frequent communications with the White House about anti-lynching. Eleanor hurries to Franklin’s office and argues with him about Walter and Steve’s audacity. Franklin takes Steve’s side; he even asks her not to attend the NAACP National Conference though Mary is receiving a medal there and wants Eleanor to present it. Franklin says he’s so close to passing the New Deal, which will help millions, that he can’t anger the Southern Democrats, who are appalled at her actions and starting rumors she has “Negro blood.” Eleanor fights with him, championing the cause against lynching though she thinks she could get Mary a federal position instead.

In DC, 1935, Mary travels to accept a federal position from President Roosevelt. She’s going to work on the advisory committee for the NYA (National Youth Administration) due to her expertise and recommendations from influential connections. She’ll work on federal programs to help Black youth specifically.

She finds the office of Aubrey Williams, NYA director, where he and Miss Roche and Dr. Mordecai Johnson are chatting. Aubrey explains their goals to make sure the NYA helps everyone, and that they’ll need Mary and Mordecai’s assistance to ensure Black needs are met and their recommendations for state-level Black people to be on the ground. Mary, excited to contribute on a federal level, wants the committee to meet more often than biannually.

Eleanor waits for Mary outside the office of her NYA meeting. She exchanges pleasantries with the others, then whisks Mary away to an awaiting town car with Earl. In the surprise drive, Mary shares how she wants to do more than meet biannually, and she’s envisioning a new organization for Black women, an umbrella that would include others like the NYA and NAACP. She’d be the voice of thousands of Black female votes. Eleanor thinks the idea is brilliant and would secure Mary’s spot at the political table.

Eleanor takes her to a delicious cafe with baked goods and tea. They toast and celebrate Mary’s first day as an NYA advisory committee member.

In DC, 1936, Mary travels back and forth often from Florida to DC for her political engagements. She feels guilty leaving home, Albert Jr., and her college though she knows they’re all in good hands, and she needs to continue the fight for equal rights. In the past six months, she’s formed the National Council of Negro Women with headquarters in DC. Today, she’s meeting the president at his home with the other NYA members to present their reports.

Eleanor greets them when they arrive and takes them to see Franklin. Mary is nervous, but when it’s her turn to present her statistics about the poverty of Black Americans and the lack of education, she is eloquent, emotional, and persuasive. She explains the lack of resources, even basic running water, for Black children, and she reminds FDR that he promised to help all Americans. Mary gets passionate and carried away, stating that he can keep his promises and be the president who delivers good changes for her people, who shows Black Americans that America loves them back. Franklin is touched and promises to help.

After the NYA meeting with Franklin, Mary will spend the night at Hyde Park, and the other committee members are shocked. Eleanor pushes through the awkwardness, and she, Mary, and Sara explore the rose gardens out back. Then, she takes Mary to Val-Kill Cottage, where Marion and Nan live. The four women get along splendidly together.

An assistant arrives to tell Eleanor that Franklin needs to speak with her, and he drives her to Hyde Park. Eleanor is irritated at first, but Franklin explains he needed to talk to her away from Mary. He admired Mary’s speech with the NYA, including her idea to appoint Black people to positions where they can make a difference. Eleanor agrees, so Franklin explains that he’d like to create a section of the NYA that “specifically addressed the needs of our Negro citizens” (215) and ask Mary to run it.

Back at Hyde Park, Mary settles in for bed, still in disbelief that she’s in the president’s lovely personal home. Eleanor comes inside, bursting with news, though she makes Mary promise not to repeat it. She shares how Franklin was so impressed with her that he wants her to lead the NYA’s division for Black children. Mary is shocked but honored and committed to helping Black youth.

Mary and Eleanor celebrate with gingerbread, ice cream, and friendly conversation. They discuss Mary’s appointment, family, and Marion and Nan. When Mary questions, Eleanor admits that Marion and Nan are in a relationship; Mary has never met lesbians before, but Eleanor corrects her when she vulnerably admits her secret love for Hick. Mary supports and uplifts Eleanor as deserving of love, respect, and happiness with Hick.

In DC, 1936, Mary hosts Eugene, Robert Weaver, and others in the Victorian townhouse she purchased to be the headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women. They move to the conference room and congratulate her directorship with the NYA, a position with proximity to President Roosevelt. Mary addresses them with the progress she’s made for the NYA such as putting thousands through school and securing more funding, but she wants more to be done in every facet of Black affairs. She suggests they meet once a week and use their combined power and affiliation with the president to help as many Black people as possible. The men have some misgivings, but Mary assures them that President Roosevelt is trustworthy. She’s supporting him for reelection, moving from her staunch Republican affiliation to Democratic because Roosevelt will keep funding their causes. She suggests they call themselves the Federal Council of Negro Affairs.