Frances Coralie Perkins Before Hillary Clinton or Condoleezza Rice; before Madeleine Albright, Janet Reno, or Patricia Harris, there was Francis Perkins. Born on April 10, 1882, Perkins was appointed to Franklin D. Roosevelt's cabinet as Secretary of Labor in March 1933, making her the first woman to hold a cabinet level position in the United States. Known for her dry wit and pragmatic approach, Perkins was described as someone who was "intent on beating sense into the heads of those foolish people who resisted progress." At age 28, Perkins witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, a tragic event in which 146 workers (most of them women) died after being locked inside their sweatshop by their employer to prevent them from leaving early. The fire left an indelible image on her. She called it "a horrifying spectacle," and credited it as the catalyst that led her to fight for the kinds of broad and sweeping labor reforms that are often taken for granted today. Perkins was Secretary of Labor for 12 years, the longest term of any person to hold that post, and she pushed for such groundbreaking legislation as minimum wage laws and worker safety and occupational health in the workplace. Her most significant impact during F.D.R.'s presidency however, was her involvement with the Social Security Act of 1935. Many years after the legislation had been enacted, she noted that the program had become "so firmly embedded in the American psychology today that no politician, no political party, no political group could possibly destroy this Act and still maintain our democratic system." Say what you will about the state of the Social Security system as it exists today, it was undoubtedly a historic piece of legislation that radically changed the way Americans approached the concept of social welfare. It would be another 30 years before another woman was appointed to the United States Cabinet (under President Gerald Ford), but Francis Perkins was a pioneer in U.S. politics, opening doors for women of such diverse views as Elizabeth Dole and Janet Napolitano. And lest we forget, the star of "Janet Reno's Dance Party." Suggested Sites... The U.S. Cabinet - current Cabinet members and secretaries. The Triangle Factory Fire - excerpts, historical accounts, pictures, and news items about the tragedy. Center for American Women in Politics - research and statistics on women in politics in the U.S. iKNOW Politics - dedicated to advancing women politically around the world. U.S. Labor History - links to women who made a difference in the workforce.

Directory categories: Women’s History, Women and Politics, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Labor History, U.S. Departments and Agencies

Archived under: 1910s, 1930s, American History, Anniversaries, Biographies, Careers, Democratic Party, Employment, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Government, History, Jobs, Labor, Politics, United States, Women

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