Frances Perkins

<p>Frances Perkins (born Fannie Coralie Perkins; April 10, 1880 – May 14, 1965) was an American workers-rights advocate who served as the fourth <a href="/facts/United_States_Secretary_of_Labor/twY0XVVP">United States Secretary of Labor</a> from 1933 to 1945, the longest serving in that position. A member of the <a href="/facts/Democratic_Party_(United_States)/MNe3nDrL">Democratic Party</a>, Perkins was the first woman ever to serve in a <a href="/facts/Cabinet_of_the_United_States/2ouVJrjQ">presidential cabinet</a>.  As a loyal supporter of her longtime friend, President <a href="/facts/Franklin_D._Roosevelt/HtG9vMQv">Franklin D. Roosevelt</a>, she helped make labor issues important in the emerging <a href="/facts/New_Deal_coalition/pnDjKwmu">New Deal coalition</a>. She was one of two Roosevelt cabinet members to remain in office for his entire presidency (the other being Interior Secretary <a href="/facts/Harold_L._Ickes/U1RnVlH8">Harold L. Ickes</a>).
</p><p>Perkins's most important role came in developing a policy for <a href="/facts/Social_Security_(United_States)/aXUHgqLx">social security</a> in 1935. She also helped form government policy for working with <a href="/facts/Labor_unions_in_the_United_States/FHruckNo">labor unions</a>, although some union <a href="/facts/Leader/37hL95TH">leaders</a> distrusted her. Perkins's Labor Department helped to mediate strikes by way of the <a href="/facts/United_States_Conciliation_Service/pUhrm7pk">United States Conciliation Service</a>. She dealt with numerous labor issues during <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>, when skilled labor was vital to the economy and women were moving into jobs formerly held by men.
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Frances Perkins