Although her name appears on Department of Labor headquarters, Frances Perkins remains little known nearly 60 years after her death. But the long-serving Secretary of Labor left a tremendous legacy to the US public and the government itself. Now the guardian of Perkins’ legacy wants his Maine farm to be made a national park. Joined by Frances Perkins Center Executive Director Giovanna Gray Lockhart for details. Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Interview text:

Giovanna Lockhart The mission of the Frances Perkins Center is to educate and inspire current and future generations in Frances Perkins’ belief that government should provide the best possible life for all people. And we’re in Newcastle, Maine, about an hour outside of Portland on the coast, and we’re actually at the farmhouse, the Perkins family farm, a beautiful 57-acre estate and Frances Perkins’ 1837 brick house. ‘ her grandmother was alive. And in fact, property ownership dates back to the 1750s, to the original Perkins ancestors. We run this national organization from Maine. But our main goal is to let more people know about this incredible woman and her impact on American society.

Eric White You mention that you want to continue the message of encouraging people to participate in government and see good government initiatives happen. How do you go about this, other than educating them about Frances Perkins? Unless you’re a politics nerd or American history buff like me, you might not even know who he is. But do you think it’s just spreading awareness that women are kind of doing the job, or are there other ways that you’re all using?

Giovanna Lockhart So we are a 5O1C3 non-profit organization. We organize a variety of programming events and educational events. We encourage the scholarship of historians. In fact, very little has been written about Frances Perkins. He was very private throughout his career, did not talk to reporters very often, and did not even write a biography when he received an advance to write a book shortly after the end of the (Franklin D.) Roosevelt administration. He eventually wrote a book about it. His name was The Roosevelt I Know and he wrote it almost based on the story; honestly, it’s not uncommon for women at that level of leadership at that time and certainly today. But what we are trying to do is to shed light on his work and the unfinished business of the New Deal and bring his memory and philosophy of government into the 21st century. He absolutely deserves to be an icon and I think he is someone who will truly inspire anyone considering a role in public service. Our organization is relatively young and we’re just getting started, but we have an incredible property that we want more people to visit. That’s why we started this campaign for a national monument.

Eric White Yes. Thank you for the pass. I wanted to touch this. As you said, you are all trying to turn his house into a national monument. What does this do to solidify your organization and the memory of Frances Perkins? He dedicated himself to the US government, and now he will give his memory to the US government?

Giovanna Lockhart Yes definitely. Learning history where history is made is so powerful. I mean, we know that the National Park Service is the gold standard not only in preserving lands and beautiful natural areas, but also in preserving history and interpreting history. That’s what we want to do, to elevate the story of Frances Perkins, to preserve the place that shaped her character, that was her one true home. Maine’s down-to-earth, common-sense values ​​became defining characteristics of his leadership style. And I think his approach to government will be very empowering and inspiring, especially for young people. By signing the proclamation and designating it a national monument, President Biden would ensure that this place will be preserved forever and that millions of Americans will learn more about this incredible woman.

Eric White We speak with Giovanna Gray Lockhart. Executive director of the Frances Perkins Center. And we were talking around him and his past. And I guess we assume a lot of people know who he is. But let’s see that it’s all about the woman herself. We do a lot of reporting on public employee unions because most federal government employees are members of these unions. This probably wouldn’t have happened without him. Can you tell us a little bit about the biggest takeaway from his story that you found fascinating and what it means for the rights that current workers have today, inside or outside of government, because of it?

Giovanna Lockhart She was the first woman to hold a cabinet position in the United States. This in itself is an incredible achievement in 1933. But that’s not what makes it special or so unique. He was FDR’s closest and most respected advisor, and was called upon not only for his deep knowledge and experience in understanding how economic policy affected workers, but also because he was a trained social worker, so he knew up close and personal what workplace regulations were like. wages and all these fair labor standards, how they affect people in their daily lives. You have to remember that at that time, if you are poor, if you are living in poverty, it is your own fault, your own fault. And many people are left in poverty because of the wages they earn, the standards and conditions under which they work, and the exploitation that takes place in factories and mills across this country. What Roosevelt did upon his election was actually focus on his core priorities; It’s something he did as labor commissioner in New York state. However, the establishment of a 40-hour working week, the establishment of unemployment insurance, the prohibition of child labor, which was a common practice at that time, and the determination of the minimum wage in a way that people could actually earn a living. And we all know that rising wages help the economy because consumption increases. And finally, what he describes as his most impactful achievement was the Social Security Act. I have now listed a number of policies that are the cornerstone of American society. But you asked me about unions. I mean, he created the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Board. These were his two other major contributions to workers’ rights in this country.

Eric White Back then, you hear the saying that women who broke new ground, well-behaved women, rarely did it. But it seemed as if he could achieve this while maintaining a softer approach. He wasn’t necessarily coming in with an ax and interrupting conversations or anything like that. He was genuinely trying to work with people, even though he encountered obstacles at every turn. Is this something you found as you examined his life?

Giovanna Lockhart Definitely. I mean, he was someone with a really big heart and a lot of empathy. And I think it’s a real sense that people deserve a good life. And I think that’s very true, if you look at that cabinet table in 1933 and you see this woman and the rest are definitely men, a lot of them deserve to be there and have wonderful, wonderful, important experiences. But many others, like the president himself, were born into privilege. He comes from a farming family in rural Maine and understands that you have to work hard to make your life better. But he saw that people were working too hard and were unable to lift themselves out of poverty. And I think women bring a very unique perspective to the table. And at the beginning of this episode, you asked me about my past. I worked for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in the United States Senate for four years. One of the things I learned very early in my career is that when women’s voices are heard and they have a seat at the table, there will be better outcomes for everyone.

Eric White So where can people find out more about this campaign and Frances Perkins in general? What is the way to do this?

Giovanna Lockhart They can visit us website. There we have a lot of information about his life and achievements. We also have a petition urging people to sign a virtual petition where we are collecting names to send to the President in support of our national monument designation.

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not directed to users in the European Economic Area.