Chapter 26

Summary

• The chapter is set in Washington D.C., on July 6, 1933, and is told from the perspective of Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady of the United States.
• Eleanor insists she's capable of driving herself and doesn't need a Secret Service escort which is unusual for a First Lady, but she doesn’t want anyone to know her whereabouts. This is part of a plan she and her friend Mary have established.
• Earl, the head of her security detail and a close friend, attempts to ensure she travels with security. Eleanor insists she will proceed alone as she plans to tour the country, acting as "eyes and ears" for her husband, Franklin Roosevelt, in communities suffering during the Great Depression. She wants to appear approachable to citizens and also wants privacy for her time with another friend, called Hick.
• Earl presents Eleanor with a .22 Smith and Wesson Outdoorsman revolver for self-defense during her solo trips. He shows her how to operate it and makes her promise to carry it at all times when she's away without security. Eleanor promises to do so.
• Eleanor drives to U Street, feeling a sense of freedom. She has a joyful conversation with her friend, Mary, who tells her about her family situations and struggles. They discuss their plans for a meeting and touch on their shared aim of securing federal appointments for colored people as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal programs. Eleanor notes that Robert Vann is the only colored person to have achieved such an appointment so far.
• Eleanor obligingly puts the revolver in her handbag before she gets out of the car at the YWCA building. When Mary inquires, Eleanor admits to having a gun and apologizes, explaining she is obliged to protect herself when she is alone due to an agreement with Earl. They enter the YWCA for their meeting with the Commission on Interracial Cooperation. Eleanor also considers approaching key figures like Harry Hopkins and Harold Ickes to help their cause.