Frances Perkins

Frances Perkins (born Fannie Coralie Perkins on April 10, 1880 – died May 14, 1965) was an American advocate for workers’ rights who served as the United States Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945. She held the position for twelve years, making her the longest‑serving secretary in that office’s history and the first woman ever appointed to a presidential cabinet.

Early life and career

Perkins was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Susan Ella Perkins (née Bean) and Frederick William Perkins, owners of a stationer’s business. The family had roots in Maine and maintained a tradition of involvement in education. Growing up in Worcester, she attended the Classical High School before enrolling at Mount Holyoke College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and physics in 1902. While a student, Perkins became engaged with progressive politics and the suffrage movement; she served as class president and was influenced by professors who encouraged her to study working conditions through factory tours.

After graduation, Perkins taught chemistry at Ferry Hall School (now Lake Forest Academy) from 1904 to 1906 and later worked in Chicago. In Chicago she volunteered at settlement houses, including Hull House, where she collaborated with Jane Addams. In 1905 she changed her name from Fannie to Frances while joining the Episcopal Church.

Seeking further education, Perkins attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for economics studies and spent two years working as a social worker in Philadelphia. She later moved to Greenwich Village, New York, where she enrolled at Columbia University. There she earned a master’s degree in economics and sociology in 1910 and became active in the suffrage movement, speaking at protests and meetings.

In 1910 Perkins gained statewide prominence as head of the New York office of the National Consumers League, advocating for improved working hours and conditions. She also taught sociology at Adelphi College. The following year she witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, a tragedy that claimed 146 lives and highlighted severe deficiencies in workplace safety regulations. The incident profoundly influenced her commitment to labor reform.

After the fire, Perkins left the National Consumers League and, upon Theodore Roosevelt’s recommendation, became executive secretary for New York City’s Committee on Safety, which aimed to improve fire safety standards. She investigated other industrial accidents, including a fatal fire at the Freeman plant in Binghamton, New York. In 1912 she played a key role in securing passage of a “54‑hour” bill that limited the number of hours women and children could work.

Perkins’ early career also involved labor leadership roles in New York City government and later in state government. On January 14, 1929, then-Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed her as head of New York’s Department of Labor (Industrial Commissioner). In that capacity she addressed the initial impacts of the Great Depression on workers.

Cabinet tenure

When Roosevelt was elected president in 1932, he invited Perkins to join his cabinet. She accepted and was confirmed by the Senate as United States Secretary of Labor on March 4, 1933. Her appointment made her the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. Perkins remained in office for the entirety of Roosevelt’s presidency, serving until January 20, 1945.

During her tenure, Perkins oversaw the implementation of numerous New Deal programs aimed at supporting workers during the Great Depression and later during World War II. A central achievement was her involvement in developing the Social Security Act of 1935, which established a national system for retirement benefits and unemployment insurance. She also worked to shape federal policy regarding labor unions, establishing mechanisms through the United States Conciliation Service to mediate strikes and promote collective bargaining.

The Labor Department under Perkins played an active role during World War II, when skilled labor was essential to the war effort and women entered jobs traditionally held by men. The department helped manage labor shortages, set wage standards, and ensure that industrial production met wartime demands while protecting workers’ rights.

Perkins’ long service in the cabinet made her one of only two Roosevelt appointees to remain throughout his entire presidency; the other was Interior Secretary Harold L. Ickes. Her leadership contributed significantly to making labor issues a central component of the New Deal coalition and to integrating immigrant rights into federal policy discussions.

Legacy

Frances Perkins’ impact on American labor policy has been widely recognized. The headquarters building of the United States Department of Labor, known as the Frances Perkins Building, bears her name in honor of her pioneering service. Her work laid foundational elements for modern social welfare programs and established precedents for federal involvement in workplace safety and union relations.

In addition to institutional recognitions, Perkins is commemorated within religious communities; she has a feast day observed by the Episcopal Church. Scholars and historians frequently cite her as a key figure in advancing workers’ rights during one of the most turbulent periods of American economic history. Her legacy endures through the continued relevance of the policies she helped craft and the precedent she set for women’s participation in high‑level government service.