| Shown here is a special display on Frances Perkins.
Frances Perkins was born on April 10, 1882 in Boston, Massachusetts.
She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1902, and Columbia University
in 1910 with a master's degree in sociology. In 1910 she became head
of the New York Consumer's League, lobbying for better working hours
and conditions. In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt appointed Ms. Perkins
as his Secretary of Labor, a position she held for twelve years, longer
than any other Secretary of Labor and making her the first woman to
hold a cabinet position in the United States. As Secretary of Labor
she played a key role writing New Deal legislation, a position she
held for twelve years, longer than any other cabinet member in history
including minimum wage laws. However, her most important contribution
came in 1934 as chairwoman of the President's Committee on Economic
Security. In this position she was involved in all aspects of the
reports and hearings that ultimately resulted in the Social Security
Act of 1935. Following her tenure as Secretary of Labor in 1945, Ms.
Perkins was asked by President Truman to serve on the U.S. Civil Service
Commission, which she did until 1952 when her husband died, and she
resigned from Federal service. Following her government service career,
Ms. Perkins continued to be active as a teacher and lecturer until
her death on May 14, 1965. |
www.socialsecurity.gov
