Who was the first woman to hold a cabinet post in a President’s administration?

Frances Perkins, the first woman to hold a cabinet post as President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s secretary of labor, valued the attainment of social and economic justice for all. Inspired by Jacob Riis’ book, How the Other Half Lives, Perkins became committed to fighting for progressive social change, most notably women’s rights and workers rights.

Perkins involvement in the social causes of the day garnered attention and respect from prominent male politicians such as Al Smith, who invited her to become a member of the New York State Industrial Commission. Her ability to compromise and cooperate with a multitude of political factions helped put New York at the cutting edge of progressive reform. Perkins was equally instrumental in brainstorming President Roosevelt’s New Deal, much of which still stands in place today. Her ideals became real in the Wagner Act, which gave workers the right to unionize and collectively bargain and in the Fair Labor Standards Act, which instituted a minimum wage and a maximum workweek for men and women.

Click here to read more about Frances Perkins and her commitment to social change during the New Deal era.

About BrookeN

Brooke Nepo has written 31 articles on this blog.

Brooke Nepo is a recent graduate of Binghamton University, where she majored in Philosophy, Politics and Law and competed as a collegiate Track and Field thrower. In addition to interning at the Woodhull Institute, she is a Personal Fitness Trainer and training to be a competitive Weightlifter.

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