Databases

FDR’s record on civil rights has been the subject of much controversy. There was constant pressure on F. D. Roosevelt to support anti-lynching legislation, but bent on economic recovery and reform and having to work through powerful Southern congressmen, whose seniority placed them at the head of key congressional committees, the president hesitated to place civil rights on his agenda. This new collection from FDR’s Official File provides insight into his political style and presents an instructive example of how he balanced moral preference with political realities.