Ask any American what they know about the New Deal, and chances are they’ll tell you about the charismatic president who led the nation through the Great Depression. Few would mention Frances Perkins, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s quietly influential secretary of labor and the first woman appointed to a presidential cabinet. But it was Perkins who
How can we avoid sinking into another Great Depression? Unbound author Heather Boushey suggests we must mobilize our growing army of furloughed workers on behalf public health. But how do we do that? She says to look to how #FrancesPerkins created the Works Progress Administration to help us through the last one… A modern-day Works Progress Administration could
Perkins’ lost legacy is finding new life, thanks to the social and economic similarities to post-Great Depression America that may emerge as the world continues to cope with COVID. “Frances Perkins’ handiwork is the system we’re using right now to relieve the distress of hundreds of millions of people,” Downey says. “The bottom line is
Should America Consider Restarting the Civilian Conservation Corps in Response to the Economic Crash? By AppalachianMagazine – April 3, 2020 Photo: CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) workers, 1935. Contributor Names: Mydans, Carl, photographer, United States. Resettlement Administration. Roughly four months ago, the world entered into a new decade and for many Americans 2020 had all the hallmarks of
Ryan Prior, CNN Artists may need a Depression-era jobs program today. As the coronavirus pandemic drastically undermines the economy, arts administrator Deana Haggag finds herself in brand new territory.
Stephen Gottlieb: What Lessons Will We Learn? I’d like to look beyond this epidemic, beyond the people telecomputing and those taking bicycles to work instead of busses, beyond our fears of going to meetings to see and greet each other and work together, beyond elbow bumps at funerals as I had to recently, and think
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
~~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
Click here to read a new Boston Herald piece, “The lady behind Labor Day,” by
This Thursday, August 14, is the 90th anniversary of Social Security becoming a cornerstone of
Watch Tim Lewis with BRTV’s “Chasing Time” interview Frances Perkins Center Acting Executive Director Amanda
“Throughout her lifetime, Frances Perkins often lived and found respite at her family’s homestead in
on September 7th, 2025 at 2 p.m.
The Frances Perkins National Monument is open regular hours on Sunday 9/7/25. However, guests should plan to leave the parking lot before 2 p.m.
The lot will re-open for visitors to the grounds and trails on Monday, September 8th, dawn to dusk.