President Franklin D. Roosevelt Named Frances Perkins Secretary of Labor
On March 4th, 1933, Frances Perkins made history when she was named as the new Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This was the first time that a woman had ever been appointed to a presidential Cabinet in the history of the country.
Perkins was an easy choice for President Roosevelt as she brought a great deal of experience to the position. After earning a Master's in political science from Columbia University, Perkins was named head of the New York Consumers League in 1910.
In 1919, New York Governor Al Smith added Perkins to the Industrial Commission of the State of New York.
Ten years later, Governor Franklin Roosevelt named Perkins Commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor.
In 1933, then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt named Perkins as his Secretary of Labor. A few months later, Perkins was featured on the front cover of Time Magazine.
Perkins was named the country's Secretary of Labor during some very trying times, as the United States was dealing with the Great Depression.
Perkins was instrumental in creating several pieces of the New Deal, including minimum-wage laws.
Perkins was also instrumental in helping to create the first federal social insurance program.
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Frances Perkins served as the nation's Secretary of Labor until June 30th, 1945, when she elected to retire from her role. Perkins continues to be the longest-serving Secretary of Labor in the history of the country.
After leaving her role, Perkins accepted a commission from President Truman to serve on the United States Civil Service Commission.
After leaving that role, Perkins was a teacher and lecturer at the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations and Cornell University. Perkins remained in this role until her death in 1975.
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Many of the labor laws that exist today, including those related to children and women, exist as a result of Perkins' time in office in the 1930s and 1940s.
Filed under: General Knowledge
