About Us

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats” were a series of evening radio addresses given by the President to the American people, starting in 1933. These chats were intended to communicate directly with the public about the policies and reasoning of his administration during the Great Depression and later through World War II.

Roosevelt saw these chats as a way to explain complex issues in a straightforward manner, fostering a sense of intimacy and direct communication between him and the citizens. He aimed to make each listener feel as though the President was speaking directly to them, sitting by their fireplace in their living room.

Roosevelt believed that these informal talks helped build confidence in his administration’s efforts to deal with the country’s problems. He used plain language and analogies that ordinary people could understand and relate to, which was crucial in maintaining public support for his New Deal policies. Roosevelt’s own words about the Fireside Chats are not extensively documented in his speeches, but it’s clear from his consistent use of this medium that he valued this direct line of communication. He believed that having the ability to explain his policies directly to the American people was an effective way to reassure and educate them during times of crisis.