QuoteQuest“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933
Verification
VerifiedWording confirmed against a primary source.
Matches the official text. The full sentence continues: "—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
Source
- Title
- First Inaugural Address
- Type
- speech · Primary source
- Date
- 4 March 1933
- Location
- Opening paragraph
- Held by
- National Archives
Context
Delivered during the depths of the Great Depression.
What it means
Panic itself can deepen a crisis; confidence is needed to recover.
Cite this source
Roosevelt, Franklin D.. (4 March 1933). First Inaugural Address. National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/fdr-inaugural
Check citations against your institution's style guide; some details may be missing.
Provenance: Manually entered from National Archives materials.