by Charles Hoffacker In several ways, Frances Perkins is a figure of influence. She has a place in several kinds of history: American history, women’s history, labor history, economic and political history, and other kinds of history as well. Perkins was a devout Christian who endeavored to live out her faith through public service. She
Book Review Joerg Rieger and Rosemarie Henkel-Rieger, Unified We Are a Force: How Faith and Labor Can Overcome America’s Inequalities. Chalice Press, 2016. Joerg Rieger and Rosemarie Henkel-Rieger are exceptionally well-qualified to address their topic because of thirty-five years of experience in bringing together people of faith and labor, especially in Texas. Joerg, a professor
The “Poisoned Spring” of Economic Liberalism: Menger, Mises, Hayek, Rothbard: A Critique from Catholic Social Teaching of the ‘Austrian School’ of Economics by Angus Sibley. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2011. The “Poisoned Spring” in this book’s title refers to a 1931 encyclical where Pope Pius XI asserts that “The right ordering of the economic life
~~May 2018 Newsletter ~~ Traveling Exhibit funded by the Maine Community Foundation Traveling Exhibit nears completion thanks to the Maine Community Foundation. In May the Center received a grant from the Maine Community Foundation’s Lincoln County Fund to complete the final stages of a traveling exhibit project. The Frances Perkins Traveling Exhibit will include
The First Book to Explore the Faith of Frances Perkins is now available! Tread the City’s Streets Again by Donn Mitchell has just been published! Donn is a Frances Perkins Center board member and longtime Perkins scholar. His book allows Perkins, mostly in her own words, to set forth her theology and sense of vocation,
~~April 2018 Newsletter ~~ Highlights from What Would Frances Perkins Do? Watch the April 10th discussion on our website here. What Would Frances Perkins Do? Adapting New Deal Worker Protections to the 21st Century Economy By Allison Beck What would Frances Perkins do? That was the question debated by a distinguished panel of labor and new economy
How religion can help: resources that faith communities offer for the restoration of the common good. by Charles Hoffacker Robert B. Reich teaches Public Policy at the University of California, served in three presidential administrations, and is the author of fifteen books and a vast number of articles. The Frances Perkins Center is honored to
~~March 2018 Newsletter ~~ Two events to celebrate Frances Perkins’ Birthday! April 8th in Needham – April 10th in Cambridge In honor of women’s history month. Excerpt from: Frances Perkins: The woman who helped end the Great Depression by Chauncey K. Robinson (AP Photo) International Women’s Day 2018 comes in the midst of a
The Simple Faith of Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Religion’s Role in the FDR Presidency by Christine Wicker. Smithsonian Books, 2017. FDR’s faith is not a major theme in studies of his life and presidency even though these studies are often thick tomes. Journalist and author Christine Wicker effectively addresses this significant shortcoming in her compact volume,
~~February 2018 Newsletter ~~ On this day in history, February 28, 1933, Frances Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor. Above, a New York Times article highlighting Perkins’ appointment, 1933. Read the full New York Times Article here. “Susanna and I came to Washington on the train. Curiously, a considerable number of people in their
To appreciate thoroughly the life and
accomplishments of Frances Perkins, a great agent
of social change who served as Secretary of Labor
throughout FDR’s tenure, requires recognizing that
faith was the foundation of who she was and all that
she did.
At its annual meeting on January 26,
the FPC Board elected member Keith
Mestrich as its new Chair.
Passing the torch. Michael Chaney Ends a Decade as Executive Director, 2014–2023, FPC Welcomes Giovanna Gray Lockhart as Executive Director, July 2023.
Listen Here Frances Perkins was the nation’s first female cabinet secretary. As FDR’s Secretary of