Happy Women’s History Month! March is a month to remember inspirational and influential women throughout history. Throughout the remaining weeks of March I’ll be posting my favorite feminist heroes to celebrate their accomplishments. Stay tuned for more!
Perkins was a sociologist and rights advocate who served as the longest U.S. Secretary of Labor and the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet. As a friend to FDR, Perkins helped bring the labor movement into the New Deal and created many Social security programs. Perkins was also the only female cabinet member to remain in office for FDR’s entire presidency. She studied economics and sociology at the UPenn Wharton began a fellowship at the New York School of Philanthropy investigating childhood malnutrition. After graduating UPenn, Perkins continued her schooling and received a Master’s Degree in sociology from Columbia University. During this time in school, Perkins joined the Philadelphia Research and Protective Association where she worked with newly arrived immigrant girls on ways to avoid prostitution. This was one of Perkin’s first works with rights, kicking off the rest of her career. practices, pensions, and contributed to the creation of the Social Security system serving on the President’s Committee on Economic Security. Perkins fought for laws to set unemployment insurance, minimum wages, restrictions on child labor. After retiring from her spot as Secretary of Labor, Perkins worked on the Civil Service Commission.
