Students of the University of Iowa School of Music will present a concert of music and poetry written by American women for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt during the 1930s. The concert will take place on September 26 at 3 pm in the Recital Hall of the Voxman Music Building. It is sponsored by the Society for American Music (SAM) as part of Sounding the Nation at 250. July 4, 2026 marked the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and in recognition of this historic milestone, SAM is producing a nationwide series of lectures, recitals, and exhibits celebrating the rich and diverse musical heritage of the Americas.

“Eleanor Waltzes” honors Eleanor Roosevelt, who changed the relationship of the First Lady with the American people. In 1933 she published an article called “I want you to write to me,” and letters documenting Americans’ Depression-related suffering poured into the White House. American women also sent songs and poems to Mrs. Roosevelt, some of which will be heard on the concert. “Ordinary women were so inspired by Mrs. Roosevelt’s advocacy for them that they felt compelled to write songs for her,” said Marian Wilson Kimber, Professor of Musicology, who will provide introductory commentary for the concert. The event will also feature a pop-up exhibit of materials from the Iowa Women’s Archives of the University of Iowa Libraries and a “Making do” reception of Depression-era recipes.

Donations will be accepted to support the CommUnity Crisis Services Food Bank.

Timed to coincide with commemorative events surrounding the U.S. Semiquincentennial, Sounding the Nation at 250 highlights the essential role music and the arts have played in expressing the hopes, struggles, identities, and aspirations of communities across time. The series honors the artists, musicians, and creators whose work has shaped American culture while also looking forward to a future in which the arts continue to foster creativity, connection, and shared civic life.

Founded in 1975, the Society for American Music is dedicated to the study, teaching, creation, and dissemination of all musics of the Americas. As a non-profit, scholarly and educational organization, SAM serves academics, librarians, composers, performers, students, and members of the general public, fostering dialogue across disciplines and communities. 

Sounding the Nation at 250 invites audiences to listen closely—to the sounds of the past, the voices of the present, and the possibilities of the future.

For more information about Sounding the Nation at 250, please visit www.sam250.org.

For more about the concert and its development, contact Marian Wilson Kimber: 319-335-1668 or  m-wilson-kimber@uiowa.edu.