Historical1941
FDR Delivers Four Freedoms Speech
President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his annual message to Congress, articulating four fundamental freedoms that all people should enjoy: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. The speech framed American involvement in World War II as a defense of universal human rights.
Why It Matters
The Four Freedoms became a defining statement of American values during World War II and influenced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948.