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The History of International Human Rights Day:
After World War II, the United Nations (UN) was formed. Agreeing to prevent future violence and abuse in the world, the UN established the Commission on Human Rights in 1946.
In this committee, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt led the drafting efforts for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Although the committee included 18 international members, "Mrs. Roosevelt was recognized as the driving force for the Declaration’s adoption."
In Paris, on December 10, 1948, the UN General Assembly presented the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
As a nation, and as a globe, we celebrate the adoption of this "milestone document," which declares that regardless of location, culture, or background, people's "fundamental human rights [are] to be universally protected."
To learn more about International Human Rights Day, explore the resources below!
The Moral Basis of Democracy by
A wartime manifesto on the moral obligations of democratic citizens from the most influential first lady in American history. With the threat of the Third Reich looming, Eleanor Roosevelt employs the history of human rights to establish the idea that at the core of democracy is a spiritual responsibility to other citizens. Roosevelt then calls on all Americans, especially the youth, to prioritize the well-being of others and have faith that their fellow citizens will protect them in return. She defines this trust between people as a trait of true democracy. Roosevelt advances an optimistic model for the democracy of the future, and although we've taken some steps in the direction of her vision, it's still a long way from reality. The issues first addressed in this 1940 essay--namely financial inequality and racial discrimination--are sadly still relevant today, as bigotry continues to undermine our national unity. Her first publication as first lady, The Moral Basis of Democracy is an honest and heartfelt call for all Americans to choose love and faith over hatred and fear. Roosevelt takes an inspiring stance in defense of democracy, progress, and morality; the wisdom imparted here is timeless, and a must-read for every American. This edition features a foreword by Rev. Carol Howard Merritt, an introduction by Roosevelt historian Allida Black, PhD, and an illustrated biography of Eleanor Roosevelt including images from the author's estate.
ISBN: 1497663652Publication Date: 2016-07-19
Inherent Human Rights: Philosophical Roots of the Universal Declaration by
Morsink asserts that all people have human rights simply by virtue of being born into the human family and that we can know these rights without the aid of experts. He shows how the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights grew out of Enlightenment principles honed by a shared revulsion at the horrors of the Holocaust.
ISBN: 9780812202854Publication Date: 2012-02-28
Profiles in Humanity: The Battle for Peace, Freedom, Equality, and Human Rights by
This compelling book tells the inspirational stories of men and women who fought for peace, freedom, equality, and human rights throughout the twentieth century. These courageous individuals include leading figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, V clav Havel, and Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as Nobel Prize winners Aung San Suu Kyi, Andrei Sakharov, and Muhammad Yunus. Readers will be reminded why Pope John XXIII, long overshadowed by the charismatic John Paul II, was the greatest pope of contemporary times. A new generation will learn that Margaret Sanger was responsible for the single most important advance toward the liberation of women worldwide. They will also come to know some of the valiant women who fought at great personal risk for equal rights in Muslim communities. Cohen highlights the vital roles of Bram Fischer, Helen Suzman, and Donald Woods in fighting apartheid in South Africa and of Jack Greenberg in the struggle against Jim Crow in America. He traces Liu Binyan's efforts to win freedom of the press and to end the abuse of power by the Chinese Communist Party. Finally, he recounts the remarkable stories of some of the thousands of men and women of many nationalities and walks of life who rescued Jews during the Holocaust. Together, these biographies paint an unforgettable portrait of the famous and unsung people who stepped forward with the moral vision to intervene, often at great personal cost, to alleviate human misery.
ISBN: 9780742567030Publication Date: 2009-01-01
The Persistent Power of Human Rights by
The Power of Human Rights (published in 1999) was an innovative and influential contribution to the study of international human rights. At its center was a 'spiral model' of human rights change which described the various socialization processes through which international norms were internalized into the domestic practices of various authoritarian states during the Cold War years. The Persistent Power of Human Rights builds on these insights, extending its reach and analysis. It updates our understanding of the various causal mechanisms and conditions which produce behavioural compliance, and expands the range of rights-violating actors examined to include democratic and authoritarian Great Powers, corporations, guerrilla groups, and private actors. Using a unique blend of quantitative and qualitative research and theory, this book yields not only important new academic insights but also a host of useful lessons for policy-makers and practitioners.
ISBN: 9781107028937Publication Date: 2013-03-07
Watch PBS's documentary about Eleanor Roosevelt. Freely available through the library's Kanopy database:
- Eleanor Roosevelt She was the nation's conscience, a tireless advocate for the disadvantaged, a woman who influenced American social policies for decades and pushed through the first international charter on human rights. Eleanor Roosevelt survived a painful childhood and a difficult marriage to become one of the most admired women in America. Going beyond her public achievements, this intimate two-and-a-half-hour biography explores the secretive and surprising private life of a controversial American figure.
Remain in the conversation about Human Rights. Enjoy these popular podcasts and documentaries:
Nongovernmental Organizations that Champion for Human Rights:
Image Reference:
geralt (Creator). (2015). Human rights [Image]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/illustrations/right-human-rights-human-hands-597133/
