Frances Perkins: The woman who helped end the Great Depression

International Women’s Day 2018 comes in the midst of a tumultuous time. The current White House administration under Donald Trump continues to attack the rights of workers, women, people of color, immigrants, and other marginalized communities. Discussions about lasting systemic change—about socialism—have been put center stage once again as working people struggle to hold onto the rights they have won in the past and embark on fights for new ones.

The rights (and the strength) of women, in particular, have been galvanized in mainstream media by the #MeToo and
#TimesUp campaigns.

 This has culminated, so far, in a record number of women running for political office across the country, a development which will certainly shift the political tide in a more progressive direction. With this march to the mid-term elections, it seems fitting then to highlight on this day a woman who exemplified the strength and leadership in political office that made historic strides for not only women, but all working people. The first woman appointed to the U.S. cabinet, and the longest person to hold the position of U.S. Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins, is just such a woman.