Can you imagine the wife of a US President sitting down to spin at a charkha?
Can you imagine a country putting an image of the wife of a US President sitting down to spin at a charkha on a postage stamp?
This stamp of Eleanor Roosevelt (activist and inveterate knitter) was issued by India in 1963 to commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Roosevelt's role in its passage.
Roosevelt was such a knitter that the official White House portrait of her includes an image of her knitting hands.
I've been looking at this post and hearing women comment about the leadership ER provided during the Depression for a while now, when whaddaya know, a friend asked me to join her in seeing/listening to this:
http://www.thefirstladyopera.com/
Posted by: Linda | February 04, 2010 at 05:33 PM
Thanks for this post!! New images of ER for me, and I'm delighted you shared them.
Posted by: Sandra D | January 04, 2010 at 07:07 PM
I don't like idolizing political figures because it seems like the more you learn about them, the more you're likely to become disappointed. Eleanor Roosevelt is one of the few figures that becomes more intriguing the more I learn about her though. Thanks for the great picture and information.
Posted by: Caroline | January 03, 2010 at 04:22 PM
Thoughtprovoking, as always. Love and good wishes for the New Year.
Posted by: Freyalyn | January 01, 2010 at 05:15 PM
I've always admired ER as a great role model (the kind we need more of these days!) and it's so interesting to see her commemorated on a postage stamp. I LOVE the official White House portrait for the way it captures her intellect, enthusiasm and practical skills so well.
Thanks again for a wonderful post and Happy nEWE Year, Marcy!
Posted by: Fran a.k.a. Oh!ZoneKnits | January 01, 2010 at 10:16 AM
Wonderful! Happy New Year!
Posted by: Laurie | January 01, 2010 at 08:40 AM
Like Judi, I would have loved to meet Mrs. R. Great post!
May 2010 bring you joy and contentment (and maybe a visit to the West Coast?). --syl
Posted by: Sylvia | January 01, 2010 at 12:51 AM
Great find. I had no idea!
Posted by: Judy | December 31, 2009 at 07:12 PM
Great picture!
Makes ya wonder what ever happened to that yarn she made?!
Posted by: cyndy | December 31, 2009 at 06:05 PM
Good stuff. I always learn something new when I rad your posts!
Posted by: blogless sharon | December 31, 2009 at 03:55 PM
I didn't know that! How cool. Happy New Year, Marcy!
Posted by: Carole | December 31, 2009 at 01:28 PM
My husband, teenage daughter and I visited ER's home in Hyde Park last year. It's the home of a regular person with homemade needlepoint cushions on the sofa and a bit of knitting left on the chair as if she just got up to answer the phone. Highly recommend a visit.
Posted by: MaureenTakoma | December 31, 2009 at 11:27 AM
I enjoy and learn from all your posts, but this one is SUPERFANTASTIC! I had never seen either of these images before. Mrs. Roosevelt is one of the historic figures I would really have enjoyed meeting.
Posted by: Judi | December 31, 2009 at 10:16 AM