Frances Perkins became the first woman appointed to a U.S. Cabinet position on March 4, 1933, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt named her secretary of labor.
Her appointment marked a milestone for women in government during the Great Depression. Perkins helped shape key New Deal policies, including the Social Security Act, unemployment insurance and minimum wage protections. She also championed workplace safety reforms and restrictions on child labor. Serving for 12 years, she became the longest-serving labor secretary in history.
Her leadership reshaped American labor policy and expanded opportunities for women in national public service for decades to come.
– Staff report with AI assist*, The Today 100
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