President Franklin Roosevelt died 80 years ago on April 12, 1945, after 12 years in office.

His achievements were mighty: his New Deal programs rebuilt the US economy, updated and modernized infrastructure around the country, restored dignity and optimism, and strengthened American democracy. He guided the nation to victory through World War II and laid the foundation for the United Nations incorporating the universal values of the Four Freedoms and human rights.

At his sudden death age 63, he was mourned by millions in the US and by allies abroad. Buried in a simple grave at his home in Hyde Park, and memorialized at many sites in the decades since, the legacies of his programs still inform American life.

Learn more about the death and funeral of President Franklin Roosevelt.