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“I came to Washington to work for God, FDR and the millions of forgotten, plain common working people.” France Perkins
Like myself, Francis was a sociologist at her core. But unlike me, who channeled my social advocacy into reproductive freedom, she fought for labor rights in the work world. When I left my job as a counselor at the Bill Baird Society (look him up) in 1994, I believed my job was done. Reproductive freedom was the law of the land, or so I thought. Francis, however, never waivered in her fight for a better working environment and the changes she helped implement, are still policies in effect today.
If you’re not familiar with Francis Perkins, she served as the first woman in the United States Cabinet, securing the role of Secretary of Labor from 1933-45. The reason you’ve probably never heard her name mentioned is because many woman, along with people of color, have been written out of the history books; or if not totally removed, their roles were greatly underplayed. Make no mistake, Frances Pekins was a powerhouse. She had a hand in many innovative policies such as The New Deal, Social Security unemployment benefits, the 40-hour workweek and ending child labor. She dedicated her life’s work to improving the lives of Americans. Her policy changes are legendary in the word of economics and business.
Francis did not go unnoticed, at least by women. Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1982, and in 2015, she was recognized as an industry icon. In 2024, President Biden designated her family farm in Newcastle, Maine as a National Park site. Ms. Perkins was many things; a trailblazer, social advocate, ground-breaker, architect of workers’ rights and persistent, but the one word that unequivocally describes her is brave. In 1933, feminism was in its infancy, The Me-Too movement lay dormant and DEI was asleep at the wheel. Francis had a vision of what an equitable and fair work life could look like and she had the grit, determination and wherewithal to pull it off. KUDOS!
Simply put, she rocked the country with her intellectual foresight. It’s about time we honor her as best we can; with a statue. A National Park site is nice and posthumous awards are wonderful but a monument chiseled in her likeness will give her immortality. Go the extra mile. She certainly did! Let’s get chiseling.