A rare photograph of President Franklin Roosevelt wearing the braces he needed to stabilize his polio-stricken legs was unveiled Monday at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.
The image, shot by Daily News photographer Martin J. McEvilly in 1933, depicts the President as few ever saw him.
The photo was presented to Roosevelt House as a gift from the Daily News. Never published in The News, the picture was discovered during the digitalizing of the photo archives in the 1990s.
Roosevelt House is the former residence of the Roosevelts and the photograph was taken on the stairs outside the building.
“It shows Franklin Roosevelt in a way he never wanted to be seen,” said News editorial writer Michael Aronson. “It shows him completely determined but completely disabled. He was very careful to hide that fact.”
The presentation was made during a ceremony honoring former News Editor-in-Chief & Publisher Arthur Browne, who retired Dec. 31 after 44 years at the newspaper.
The former copy boy, reporter, columnist, city editor and editorial page editor was feted by a host of dignitaries including Gov. Cuomo, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance and Police Commissioner James O’Neill.
“Good journalism pushes elected officials. and elected officials push good journalists,” Cuomo said. “I want to thank you on behalf of the people of the state, on behalf of my father (the late former Gov. Mario Cuomo) and on behalf of myself.”
Browne, surrounded by reporters, editors, elected officials and public policy wonks, saluted all who worked to make New York a better place.
“I thank you all because I know you all care deeply about the people of New York City, and most of you have expressed your devotion through journalism,” he said.
“It’s been absolutely great, and I want to thank you all for all of this.”
With Leonard Greene
