Eleanor Roosevelt hosts a 1927 luncheon for national women’s club leaders and hesitates to greet Mary McLeod Bethune, unsettled by the room’s reaction and her own insecurities rooted in a critical childhood. As Bethune moves confidently through the drawing room, Eleanor questions the wisdom of the invitation.

When Mrs. Moreau and several clubwomen confront Eleanor, refusing to dine with a Black guest and nearly voicing a slur, Eleanor pushes back, asserting Bethune’s right to be there and the luncheon’s purpose of finding common ground. Despite defending Bethune publicly, Eleanor recognizes her failure to welcome Bethune immediately.

In the dining room, Bethune sits visibly at the central table while many women linger in protest. Eleanor joins her, apologizing for the atmosphere. Bethune responds with candor about the rarity of white people breaking bread with Black people and advises, “You must never apologize for a sin someone else has committed.”

Relieved by Bethune’s composure and warmth, Eleanor sits to share lunch, signaling a personal turning point and the beginning of a meaningful connection as the holdouts miss the meal—“excellent soup”—and the chance for genuine engagement.