Commonalities And Differences: Eleanor Roosevelt, Martha Graham, And Dorothy Day

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Running Head: COMMONALITIES AND DIFFERENCES Commonalities and Differences among Eleanor Roosevelt, Martha Graham and Dorothy Day Although all of the leaders discussed in Certain Trumpets: The Nature of Leadership are intriguing and provided opportunities to consider leadership from varying aspects, I chose to focus on three leaders who happen to be women: Eleanor Roosevelt, Martha Graham, and Dorothy Day. While I do not consider myself a feminist and didn’t discard reflecting on male leaders just because of their gender, these women inspired me because at the time they became leaders, men dominated in traditional leadership roles, which provided an additional obstacle in these women’s paths. Wills (1994) defines a leader as “one who mobilizes others toward a goal shared by leaders and followers” (p. 17). The inclusion of a common goal in this definition is critical as it is difficult if not impossible for even…show more content…
Mrs. Roosevelt overcame an emotionally absent childhood and dictatorial mother-in-law to become an advocate for civil rights, women’s privileges, and the poor. Each of her life experiences made her stronger and fostered her growth into the women she became. Martha Graham was an artistic leader and developed a unique and American art form through her dance. While her contributions centered around respecting and protecting the art form she created, she also indirectly aided the advancement of civil and women’s rights. Lastly, Dorothy Day utilized her emotionally crippling childhood as well as her early experiences as a radical demonstrator to become the person she ultimately wanted to be. Her commitment to serving the poor was above reproach. Each of these leaders left a lasting impact on the groups of people they advocated for as well as American

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