History at Eleanor Roosevelt’s Val-Kill: Illuminating LGBTQ+

LGBTQ+ people have always been part of our history, although the absence of definitive primary sources has often obscured the details of their lives, experiences, and perspectives. Eleanor Roosevelt had many friends and allies that today we would consider to be part of the LGBTQ+ community. Their stories are integral to the history of Val-Kill, the home of Eleanor Roosevelt, and to our understanding of Eleanor Roosevelt’s personal development as well as her transformation into a humanitarian and activist.