Women's History Month: Frances Perkins
UPdated: March 3rd, 2026
What’s New (2026 Update)
This post was originally published in 2021 and has been updated for Women’s History Month 2026 to reflect recent developments. In December 2024, the Frances Perkins Homestead in Newcastle, Maine, was officially designated the Frances Perkins National Monument, ensuring permanent recognition of her legacy as the first woman to serve in a U.S. Cabinet and a principal architect of Social Security, minimum wage protections, and the 40-hour work week. We’ve updated this post to include information about the National Monument and additional context on her lasting impact on workers’ rights.
Frances Perkins, FDR’s Secretary of Labor and the first woman to serve as a U.S. cabinet secretary, was a principal architect of the New Deal — credited with helping create the modern middle class and championing workers’ rights throughout her career.
From the time she was in college, Perkins was deeply troubled by the long hours and dangerous conditions many workers faced. She once reflected on the lack of protections for workers, especially women and children — a concern that shaped her lifelong commitment to labor reform.
A Trailblazer for Workers’ Rights
Perkins’ early career grew out of advocacy work focused on improving workplace safety, fair hours, and protections for women and children. She held leadership roles in social reform organizations before moving into government.
In February 1933, President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Perkins to serve as Secretary of Labor — making her the first woman in U.S. history to serve in a presidential cabinet. Perkins agreed only after Roosevelt committed to support her policy goals, which included:
Establishing a 40-hour work week
Creating a federal minimum wage
Implementing unemployment compensation and workers’ compensation
Abolishing child labor
Passing the Social Security Act
These reforms became cornerstones of the New Deal and still shape American labor standards today.
“I came to Washington to work for God, FDR, and the millions of forgotten, plain common workingmen.”
From History to National Recognition
Perkins’ influence on labor policy is profound, but her legacy has historically been under-recognized compared to other New Deal leaders. That changed in December 2024, when President Joe Biden designated the Frances Perkins National Monument at her family’s homestead in Newcastle, Maine.
The National Monument — part of the National Park Service’s growing effort to tell a fuller story of American history — protects the homestead where Perkins spent summers as a child and later years as an adult, and recognizes her contributions to workers’ rights and economic justice.
Perkins’ Enduring Impact
Perkins’ work fundamentally reshaped the role of government in protecting workers and families. Key aspects of her legacy include:
Social Security — providing retirement and disability security for millions.
Fair labor standards — including minimum wage and limits on hours.
Abolition of child labor and improved workplace safety — rooted in her response to industrial disasters like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.
Recognition that government can be a force for economic security and social justice.
Honoring Her Legacy Today
During Women’s History Month — and all year long — we honor Frances Perkins as a model of courage and conviction. Her leadership helped secure rights and protections that UFCW members and workers nationwide continue to rely on and fight to strengthen.
Learn more:
Visit the Frances Perkins National Monument — explore her homestead and legacy.
Read more about Women’s History Month and labor history on the UFCW 227 blog.