FDR Memorial Legacy Committee

The FDR Memorial Legacy Committee, founded in 2019, is the citizen led organization with the mission to promote education about the FDR Memorial, to improve inclusion and accessibility so all visitors can experience the Memorial and to preserve the Memorial for future generations. The organization, borne out of the successful disability led campaign in the 1990s for disability representation at the Memorial, is committed to sharing the diverse perspectives of the Roosevelt era and that era's legacy today.

To achieve our mission, we focus on the following:

Education
§ Create educational content on disability and other underrepresented stories from the Memorial and the Roosevelt era.
§ Run teacher professional development workshops on how to use the FDR Memorial in instruction.
§ Embed workforce preparation and training in our educational materials.

Inclusion
§ Champion the FDR Memorial to be a model of accessibility & inclusion.
§ Ensure inclusive, diverse, and culturally responsive resources and content are available as part of the FDR Memorial experience.
§ Advocate for policies and programs consistent with Roosevelt’s legacy of equality, dignity, and independence

Preservation
§ Call for the National Park Service to prioritize repairs and preservation at the FDR Memorial and the surrounding areas on the National Mall to maintain the cultural landscape.
§ Document the disability community’s fight for representation, and the many other lesser known/untold stories of the Memorial and

The FDR Committee includes a Board, Advisory Board and personnel with expertise across many disciplines including: education, disability, communications, management, fundraising, government relations, environmental sustainability, history, workforce development and youth training.

Led teacher professional development
workshops in 2021, 2022 (both virtual) and
2023 in person with 60 K-12 teachers.
Education:
• Authored lesson plans about the
campaign for disability representation at
the FDR Memorial featuring disabled
leaders.

• Engagement with DC area schools and
other youth groups (Girl and Boy Scouts)
for participation in special events at the
FDR Memorial.

• Established Mike Deland Internship
Program in partnership with the
University of the District of Columbia for
disabled students.

Inclusion:
In May 2021, released a report on
accessibility at the FDR Memorial covered
by The Washington Post.

• In July 2021, National Park Service (NPS)
launched an accessible audio tour – a direct
recommendation from the May report.

• In May 2022, NPS installed enhanced
accessibility features at the FDR Memorial,
per recommendations from our May 2021
report.

• All educational programming includes a
strong emphasis on universal design.

Preservation: Leading voice for protection of the
FDR Memorial and accessibility at
the Tidal Basin. (NPS proposes
major changes to the Tidal Basin
area which the FDR Committee has
been tracking carefully).

• Consistently advocated to NPS to
keep up with repairs at the FDR
Memorial, especially the fountains.

• Preserve the story of the fight for
the wheelchair statue. Continue to
secure video and oral histories and
archives about the fight.