What Should The Roosevelt Island FDR Memorial Be About – Honoring Overcoming Challenges & Disabilities Or The Architect Louis Kahn?

Image of FDR Using Crutches From Poughkeepsie Journal and FDR Library/Museum
The May 27 FDR Memorial Town Hall Meeting at which the Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute ( FERI ) presented an update of the proposed Louis Kahn designed FDR Memorial and a SEQR Environmental briefing aroused heated passions from many Roosevelt Island residents who believe that the proposed Memorial ignores the disabled community both here on Roosevelt Island and across the nation. Many think, myself included, that this proposed Memorial is not so much honoring FDR as it is the architect of the project, Louis Kahn. For those that want to view the meeting and decide for yourself, RIOC has posted a webcast of the proceedings here. The first 50 minutes of the proceedings are devoted to FERI’s presentation. Starting at the 51 minute mark questions and statements from the community were presented. I would recommend paying particular attention to the first two statements by Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA) President Virginia Granato and Doctor Jack Resnick. Image From Main Street WIRE of RIDA Members Protesting Against Proposed FDR Memorial There’s More!

… On Wednesday night, the most prominent objection came from a group of disabled residents, who protested the lack of any plan for a full-length portrayal of FDR as a disabled person who nonetheless excelled in life in general, and as a wartime president in particular. They carried signs, but listened quietly as a representative from the construction company, another from the architectural firm, and officials of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (FERI) made what amounted to a repeat of several previous presentations six in the last 12 months, by FERIs count. The report on an environmental impact assessment, the intended purpose of the meeting, was pro forma….


… In the Q&A period that followed the formal presentation, the president of the Roosevelt Island Disabled Association, Virginia Granato, calmly presented her groups objection: We feel that being disabled was part of who FDR was, as a human being, and he made wonderful contributions in spite of his disability, and not depicting this is a disservice to disabled and non-disabled alike. Its part of this island. This island has a history of disabled people. Weve got two long-term care hospitals here. We feel slighted in not showing that he was a disabled person, and we would like to right this wrong.


Dr. Jack Resnick, physician to many of the communitys disabled or homebound people, spoke moments after Granato, and set forth the basic question in a few sentences. It really is unconscionable that you could build a memorial to FDR, on Roosevelt Island, that doesnt recognize why the island is named Roosevelt Island, Resnick said….


… Resident after resident then hammered away at the insult lamenting the failure to acknowledge Roosevelts disability with a view of him in a wheelchair.


Sally Minard, president and CEO of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, responded to most of these comments by pointing out that showing Roosevelt as a disabled person is not the purpose of this park. She emphasized repeatedly that the parks specific purpose is to celebrate Roosevelts Four Freedoms. There are other ways and other places in the park where it can be very clear that Roosevelt was crippled and never could stand or walk alone. We are not ignoring or blind to the significance of his situation….


…Historical Society President Judith Berdy joined those calling for some representation of the physical difficulties FDR overcame. When I was a student, in
1966, I came here, to Goldwater. Goldwater had open wards of young people, some of whom are in this room, living in iron lungs. Our history of this island has always shunted off the disabled, the prison, the almshouse, the poor. Its been put away, put on the side. Its true. Its time that we reflect more on FDR and his disability.
Berdy observed that in the 20s and 30s, concealing a disability was common, suggesting that times have changed.


I feel it is time for reconsidering some of the aspects of this memorial to make it more accessible, and perhaps changing some of the depictions of FDR. Showcase his
disability. That will show this islands history of caring for people taking those no one cared about and taking care of them and making them at home here. She said the park should celebrate the whole man, including his disabilities and abilities.


There are other ways and other places in the park where it can be very clear that Roosevelt was a man who was crippled and never could stand or walk alone, Minard responded. No one is trying to avoid talking about it or writing about it.

But nothing Minard or others said satisfied those speaking for the disabled community, and subsequent speakers suggested the FERI representatives were deliberately not hearing the disabled point of view. The unspoken theme appeared to be that FERI intends to stick closely to the Louis Kahn design, which has led critics to suggest the park is more a monument to Kahns architecture than to Roosevelt or the Four Freedoms….