“The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America,” written by Christopher C. Gorham, is a biography about the fascinating contribution of Anna Rosenberg, the daughter of Jewish immigrants.
As the title implies, Anna’s story is not widely known and there is very little published about her accomplishments as well as her impact on American history.
Gorham is a high school history teacher in suburban Boston who possesses degrees from the University of Michigan, Tufts University and Syracuse University College of Law.
It was with his students that he realized there was very little information to be found about Anna Rosenberg without considerable searching. He said he firmly believes that her accomplishments deserve significantly more recognition than exists presently.
On Thursday, Oct. 5, students gathered at the Fresno State library to listen to Gorham, an author and educator, speak about his first book.
“Harvard is only a couple of miles from my house, so I started going there to look at her papers, and it was like a roll call of American history. Her involvement extended from President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, to Truman and Francis Perkins and Joe McCarthy. It was a treasure trove of information to be found there,” Gorham said.
During WWII, Rosenberg became FDR’s envoy to Europe and in 1950, she was appointed as assistant secretary of defense, which was the highest position ever to be held by a woman in the United States military. This honor led to an unsuccessful smear campaign led by Senator Joe McCarthy, who accused her of being a Communist.
According to Gorham, Rosenberg’s story is important, particularly at this moment in our history, because it demonstrates the power a citizen can have to affect change at both the state and national level. Rosenberg was tirelessly dedicated to the rights of American citizens. She believed in social justice for all Americans, that social equality should be bestowed upon everybody, regardless of gender, race or ethnicity. Her firm confidence in the concept of a free America is an inspiration to one and all.
The desire to give life to Rosenberg’s legacy is what Gorham credits for teaching him how to better understand how to relay an authentic and compelling story.
In the beginning, while he had all the proper documents and memos, what he didn’t have was the person herself, her personality, mannerisms and all the things that made up Rosenberg as a person. These were all things he felt were important to carefully consider in his storytelling.
“You have to research those things about her just like you have to research the correspondence between her and the President. But if you do that extra research, what emerges is not just a cold recitation of facts, but a fully fleshed out story about a person who really lived and who I hope a lot of us will come to admire through this book,” he said.
Jill Fields, professor of history and founding coordinator of Jewish Studies, who assisted in the event, said she was intrigued by the book’s premise.
“As someone who has a background in researching and teaching both women’s and Jewish women’s history, the idea that there was this person who was so important and so influential by leading the country in [a] wonderful direction toward more inclusivity and democracy in the United States was intriguing. I thought that would be of interest to our students,” Fields said.
Gorham called Rosenberg “Franklin D. Roosevelt’s stylish secret weapon” and “the inspirational civilian woman who became the assistant secretary of defense during the Korean War.”
Rosenberg is the woman who advised four U.S. presidents who were known as some of the greatest Americans of their time.
“I feel very gratified. Very lucky to be the person that took those documents and turned it into a narrative to bring her back into the historical discussion,” he said.
“The Confidante” is available now for purchase through Gorham’s website.
