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Hidden in Plain Sight: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Love Letters with Lorena Hickok Illuminate Queer U.S. History
READ TIME: 3 MIN.
When archivists at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library uncovered 18 boxes of Eleanor Roosevelt’s personal correspondence in 1978, they unearthed a revelation: more than 3,500 letters exchanged over three decades between the former First Lady and Lorena Hickok, a pioneering journalist assigned to cover her in the early 1930s . The letters, many filled with expressions of longing, tenderness, and desire, have become a touchstone in LGBTQ+ history, reshaping our understanding of one of the most influential women in American public life.
Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok’s relationship began in 1932, when Hickok was assigned by the Associated Press to cover the future First Lady during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential campaign . What started as professional proximity soon deepened. The correspondence, which spanned from Eleanor’s years in the White House into her later life, is notable for its emotional candor and intimacy. In one letter from December 9, 1933, Eleanor wrote, “Hick dearest, I can’t help wondering if my pencil note will reach you which I sent off last night!... I am just expressing a longing not a complaint!” . In another, dated February 4, 1934, she confided: “If I just could take you in my arms. Dear, I often feel rebellious too… Dearest, we are happy to-gether & strong relationships have to grow deep roots. We’re growing them now…” .
Many historians and LGBTQ+ advocates consider these letters clear evidence of a romantic and possibly physical relationship, though some still frame it as a close friendship . Still, the enduring intimacy in their words—alongside the lengths Roosevelt and Hickok went to keep their connection private—reflect the challenges faced by queer women in an era marked by intense scrutiny and social conservatism.
The correspondence between Roosevelt and Hickok is particularly significant because it took place at the epicenter of American politics. For queer readers today, these letters offer a rare glimpse into how LGBTQ+ people have always existed in every facet of society, often forced to conceal their true selves even as they shaped the world . The letters also highlight the importance of chosen family and emotional support: after FDR’s death in 1945, Eleanor wrote to Hickok, “I may be weary when we get home tomorrow but I’m so glad you will be at the apartment,” an intimate admission of her grief and reliance on Hickok’s companionship .
While some of the most explicit letters were reportedly destroyed by Hickok herself—who told Eleanor’s daughter, “Your mother wasn’t always so very discreet in her letters to me”—the surviving correspondence is electric with affection and longing .
For today’s LGBTQ+ audience, the story of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok serves as both inspiration and affirmation. Their relationship challenges the myth that queer love is only a recent phenomenon or relegated to the margins of history. Instead, it was present at the heart of American leadership, quietly influencing one of the 20th century’s most prominent women .
Their letters are now studied, published in works such as “Empty Without You: The Intimate Letters of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok” (edited by Rodger Streitmatter), and celebrated in LGBTQ+ history projects and publications . These documents not only provide insight into Eleanor’s private thoughts and dreams but also stand as a testament to the resilience of queer love in the face of adversity and erasure.
As the LGBTQ+ community continues to push for greater visibility and inclusion, the rediscovery and celebration of stories like Roosevelt and Hickok’s help affirm that our histories are as complex, passionate, and integral to the American narrative as any other. Their words, secret for decades, now echo as a reminder: queer love has always been here, even in the most unexpected places.
