Franklin Rosevelt III is a prominent personality who hails from one of America’s elite families. Born as the eighth grandchild of the 32nd US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Roosevelt III later became an economist and academic, making a name for himself.
Besides coming from a prominent family through his father, Roosevelt III also enjoys bonds with the du Pont family, through his mother Ethel du Pont.
Early Life
Rosevelt was the eldest child of Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr and his first wife Ethel du Pont. He was born while his grandfather was serving his second term as the president of the United States, although he was not the eldest grandson.
He has a young brother Christopher du Pont Roosevelt, who was born in 1941, before his parents had divorced. After his parents divorced, Roosevelt’s father welcomed three more children from his following marriages, while his mother also added a son in her second marriage.
Education and Career
Coming from a royal family, education was not optional. Roosevelt joined St. Mark’s School in Southborough before he joined Yale University in 1961 for a Bachelor of Arts in economics. After his bachelor’s degree, he went further to obtain a master’s degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from The New School.
During his time in school, he was an active member of the civil rights movement. In 1964, he was arrested during the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee’s Freedom Summer. After the Mississippi Highway Patrol realized who they had arrested, they released him immediately.
Roosevelt began his career in 1977 when he became a professor at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York. He was also the chair of the social science faculties from 1988 to 1993. During his time at the college, he inspired many students and mentored them. As a result, he received a Lipkin Family Prize for Inspirational Teaching in 2004.
Family Legacy
Coming from a political background, Roosevelt’s life revolved around politics. As a Democrat, who resides in Manhattan, He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Manhattan Country School from 1970 to 2020.
In 1991, he was part of the team that led the school in changing the tuition system. Moreover, he also led the plans to build a monument to his grandmother Eleanor Roosevelt at Riverside Park.
Personal Life and Family
Roosevelt is a proud father and husband. He walked down the aisle in 1962 and exchanged vows with his wife Grace Rumsey Goodyear. The wedding was attended by a few family members and took place at St. Luke’s Protestant Episcopal Church.
The wedding took place when Grace had just graduated from Milton Academy and was a student at Smith College. The marriage has been successful, with the couple getting the blessing of three children.
Phoebe Louisa Roosevelt was born on February 25, 1965. Barely a year later, the couple welcomed twins, a boy and a girl, Nicholas Martin and Amelia Amie, who were born on June 8, 1966. Amie is a concert violinist.
