President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, better known as FDR, won the 1936 election and had proven to be an accomplishment for the Democrats. It was the first time that African Americans had voted Democratic rather than Republican, showing the people's confidence in Roosevelt's New Deal.
President Roosevelt's administration affected the lives of many minorities and women by means of the New Deal. The New Deal gave these minorities and women many new opportunities and freedom in life. The Roosevelt administration made a viable effort not to discriminate in hiring or distributing benefits. The administration also appointed a group of women and blacks to important positions in government. They supported and welcomed their input on important topics.
During the New Deal advances were limited for minorities and women. Withstanding prejudice and discrimination succeeded to prevent full and equal participation in national life. Notable changes during the era were when women were placed to outstanding official positions. One woman, Frances Perkins, became the first cabinet member. To add to that, she was an African American who was secretary of labor. Perkins played a major role in the creation of the Social Security system and in the crafting of labor legislation. FDR also appointed the first female ambassador and quite a few female federal judges.
Roosevelt, hoping to appeal to female voters, received a strong push from his wife Eleanor and the head of Democratic Party's women's division, Molly Dewson. Molly rallied 15,000 women to go door-to-door, distributing leaflets, to promote most new deal programs. She stated that, "The change from women's status in government before Roosevelt is unbelievable."" Women's struggle for equal rights in the workplace faced ongoing discrimination. .
Men, who were greatly unemployed at the time, said women were taking jobs away from them. These New Deal laws yielded mixed results regarding women.