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Chapter One

The First Fireside Chat

Times were tough all across America. Millions of people were out of work, businesses and banks had closed, and too many people were hungry and homeless. In Houston, Texas, Myra King Whitson and her children crowded around the radio to hear the new President speak. It was around 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 12, 1933. At first the radio crackled and hissed. Then the President's voice was clear. Franklin Delano Roosevelt talked about the country's money problems. He described his hopes and plans for the nation. To Whitson, he sounded calm and thoughtful. When she was done listening, Whitson wrote her new President a letter. "Our radio seemed to bring you to us in person," she wrote. "There is a deep happiness -- a feeling that we have a real share in our government."

Every time he spoke on the radio, Americans listened closely. They wanted to hear the President talk about the country's problems and his ideas for fixing them. Roosevelt received thousands of letters after his first "fireside chat." Ordinary citizens -- adults and children -- wrote to Roosevelt with suggestions on how to help the nation overcome its problems.

During some of the saddest days in American history, President Roosevelt offered comfort with his hopeful words. He reminded people that they had the strength to carry on when things weren't going well. He encouraged them to keep trying.

Roosevelt had promised to find a job for every American who wanted to work. He also wanted to help people enjoy life. "Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money," he said. To Roosevelt, being happy meant enjoying nature, reading books, learning new things, and laughing with friends.

This is the story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a President who helped many Americans and who brightened some of the nation's darkest times.

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Excerpted from Time for Kids: Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Leader in Troubled Times by Time for Kids Magazine Staff
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