Podcasts about Frances Perkins

Traditional histories give President Franklin Delano Roosevelt a lot of credit for guiding the United States out of the Great Depression. But his best move may have been appointing the first woman ever to join a presidential cabinet. As Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins won victories on public works for increased employment, 8 hour work days, minimum wage, Social Security, workplace safety standards, and no child labor. Many of her programs are still in place for Americans today. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Sign up for the newsletter On This Day in Women's History, available on ⁠Patreon⁠ or ⁠Substack⁠. There are free options in both places. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joanne Tramel highlights the Christian impact of Frances Perkins (1880-1965), best known as the first female cabinet member, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor. Perkins held early values of the Christian duty to the poor and naturally pursued labor advocacy. After witnessing the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, she turned to politics to become pivotal in institutions and policies such as the S.S.I., minimum wage, overtime, and child labor laws, public works projects of the Great Depression, and the women's workforce of WWII.

My guest today is Charles Ellis, founder of Greenwich Associates, longtime member of Yale's investment committee, and author of more than 20 books, including the classic Winning the Loser's Game. In today's episode, Charley reflects on writing the first major book on share repurchases 50 years ago, when the idea was so foreign that Goldman mailed it to 1,000 corporations as a “legitimizer.” Charley also walks us through his new book, Great American Investments: A History of the Bold Initiatives that Shaped a Nation, covering 14 audacious public investments from the Louisiana Purchase to the Marshall Plan. He explains how each came down to one or two obsessed individuals, why Alaska turned out to be the bargain of the century, and how Frances Perkins muscled Social Security into law. As the episode winds down, he shares the lunch with Sandy Gottesman in the early 1970s that led him to buy Berkshire Hathaway at $700 a share — and hold it ever since. (0:00) Starts (1:54) Charley on stock buybacks (8:06) Current state of investing and behavioral economics (11:37) Advice for young investors and long-term strategies (16:41) Charley's new book: Great American Investments: A History of the Bold Initiatives that Shaped a Nation (25:42) The origins of social Security (32:46) American entrepreneurship (36:43) Will AI be the next great American investment? (42:34) Most memorable investment ----- Sponsor: ⁠Ivy Invest ⁠- To learn more about Ivy Invest's SEC-registered endowment-style fund, view the prospectus, and learn how to invest, visit ⁠ivyinvest.co/fund ----- Follow Meb on X, LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp, Richard Thaler, Jeremy Grantham, Joel Greenblatt, Campbell Harvey, Ivy Zelman, Kathryn Kaminski, Jason Calacanis, Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran, Howard Marks, Tom Barton, and many more.  ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here!  -----Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we explore the life of the first woman Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins, and how in the midst of the Great Depression she helped reshape the nation by fighting for minimum wage, Social Security, and unemployment insurance.To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

From the publisher: "From her start as one of the youngest activists in US history, Pauline Newman helped shape the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) into a dominant force in industrial America. Cathryn J. Prince tells the story of a self-educated Jewish immigrant who dedicated herself to a legion of causes and lifelong battles against sexism and classism.Prince follows Newman's life from a youth split between Lithuania and New York City sweatshops to her work as an advisor to New Deal–era labor secretary Frances Perkins. Newman's long hours at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory informed her entrée into labor activism. In the following years, she tirelessly advocated for workers, ran for New York Secretary of State as a socialist, and became the first woman to serve as the ILGWU general organizer. Her interest in the health of workers led to service on the Joint Board of Sanitary Control and a decades-long term as education director of the ILGWU health center. Membership in Eleanor Roosevelt's circle opened doors to government positions and advisory roles that continued into the postwar era. Prince also weaves in the details of Newman's fifty-year relationship with a woman, her struggles with her sexual identity, and her final years.Engaging and panoramic, For the Love of Labor is the first major biography of an important figure in labor and women's history."Information on her book can be found at https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=c049552Her website can be found at https://www.cathrynjprince.com/AxelbankHistory.com is designed by https://www.ellieclairedesigns.com/Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at https://twitter.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://instagram.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://facebook.com/axelbankhistory

On today's Labor Radio Podcast Daily: Heartland Labor Forum looks at a potential turning point in baseball history and what it could mean for workers in the game. In labor history, Frances Perkins was born in 1880. Quote of the day: Dolores Huerta. @wpfwdc @AFLCIO #1u #UnionStrong #LaborRadioPod Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network. Produced by Chris Garlock, Patrick Dixon and Harold Phillips.

My guest today is Cathryn J. Prince the author of For the Love of Labor: The Life of Pauline Newman (U Illinois Press, 2026). From her start as one of the youngest activists in US history, Pauline Newman helped shape the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) into a dominant force in industrial America. Cathryn J. Prince follows Newman's life from a youth split between Lithuania and New York City sweatshops to her work as an advisor to New Deal–era labor secretary Frances Perkins. Newman's long hours at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory informed her entrée into labor activism. In the following years, she tirelessly advocated for workers, ran for New York Secretary of State as a socialist, and became the first woman to serve as the ILGWU general organizer. Her interest in the health of workers led to service on the Joint Board of Sanitary Control and a decades-long term as education director of the ILGWU health center. Membership in Eleanor Roosevelt's circle opened doors to government positions and advisory roles that continued into the postwar era. Prince also weaves in the details of Newman's fifty-year relationship with a woman, her struggles with her sexual identity, and her final years. Cathryn J. Prince is an adjunct professor of journalism at Fordham University. Her books include Queen of the Mountaineers: The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman and American Daredevil: The Extraordinary Life of Richard Halliburton, the World's First Celebrity Travel Writer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

My guest today is Cathryn J. Prince the author of For the Love of Labor: The Life of Pauline Newman (U Illinois Press, 2026). From her start as one of the youngest activists in US history, Pauline Newman helped shape the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) into a dominant force in industrial America. Cathryn J. Prince follows Newman's life from a youth split between Lithuania and New York City sweatshops to her work as an advisor to New Deal–era labor secretary Frances Perkins. Newman's long hours at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory informed her entrée into labor activism. In the following years, she tirelessly advocated for workers, ran for New York Secretary of State as a socialist, and became the first woman to serve as the ILGWU general organizer. Her interest in the health of workers led to service on the Joint Board of Sanitary Control and a decades-long term as education director of the ILGWU health center. Membership in Eleanor Roosevelt's circle opened doors to government positions and advisory roles that continued into the postwar era. Prince also weaves in the details of Newman's fifty-year relationship with a woman, her struggles with her sexual identity, and her final years. Cathryn J. Prince is an adjunct professor of journalism at Fordham University. Her books include Queen of the Mountaineers: The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman and American Daredevil: The Extraordinary Life of Richard Halliburton, the World's First Celebrity Travel Writer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

My guest today is Cathryn J. Prince the author of For the Love of Labor: The Life of Pauline Newman (U Illinois Press, 2026). From her start as one of the youngest activists in US history, Pauline Newman helped shape the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) into a dominant force in industrial America. Cathryn J. Prince follows Newman's life from a youth split between Lithuania and New York City sweatshops to her work as an advisor to New Deal–era labor secretary Frances Perkins. Newman's long hours at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory informed her entrée into labor activism. In the following years, she tirelessly advocated for workers, ran for New York Secretary of State as a socialist, and became the first woman to serve as the ILGWU general organizer. Her interest in the health of workers led to service on the Joint Board of Sanitary Control and a decades-long term as education director of the ILGWU health center. Membership in Eleanor Roosevelt's circle opened doors to government positions and advisory roles that continued into the postwar era. Prince also weaves in the details of Newman's fifty-year relationship with a woman, her struggles with her sexual identity, and her final years. Cathryn J. Prince is an adjunct professor of journalism at Fordham University. Her books include Queen of the Mountaineers: The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman and American Daredevil: The Extraordinary Life of Richard Halliburton, the World's First Celebrity Travel Writer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

My guest today is Cathryn J. Prince the author of For the Love of Labor: The Life of Pauline Newman (U Illinois Press, 2026). From her start as one of the youngest activists in US history, Pauline Newman helped shape the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) into a dominant force in industrial America. Cathryn J. Prince follows Newman's life from a youth split between Lithuania and New York City sweatshops to her work as an advisor to New Deal–era labor secretary Frances Perkins. Newman's long hours at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory informed her entrée into labor activism. In the following years, she tirelessly advocated for workers, ran for New York Secretary of State as a socialist, and became the first woman to serve as the ILGWU general organizer. Her interest in the health of workers led to service on the Joint Board of Sanitary Control and a decades-long term as education director of the ILGWU health center. Membership in Eleanor Roosevelt's circle opened doors to government positions and advisory roles that continued into the postwar era. Prince also weaves in the details of Newman's fifty-year relationship with a woman, her struggles with her sexual identity, and her final years. Cathryn J. Prince is an adjunct professor of journalism at Fordham University. Her books include Queen of the Mountaineers: The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman and American Daredevil: The Extraordinary Life of Richard Halliburton, the World's First Celebrity Travel Writer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

My guest today is Cathryn J. Prince the author of For the Love of Labor: The Life of Pauline Newman (U Illinois Press, 2026). From her start as one of the youngest activists in US history, Pauline Newman helped shape the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) into a dominant force in industrial America. Cathryn J. Prince follows Newman's life from a youth split between Lithuania and New York City sweatshops to her work as an advisor to New Deal–era labor secretary Frances Perkins. Newman's long hours at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory informed her entrée into labor activism. In the following years, she tirelessly advocated for workers, ran for New York Secretary of State as a socialist, and became the first woman to serve as the ILGWU general organizer. Her interest in the health of workers led to service on the Joint Board of Sanitary Control and a decades-long term as education director of the ILGWU health center. Membership in Eleanor Roosevelt's circle opened doors to government positions and advisory roles that continued into the postwar era. Prince also weaves in the details of Newman's fifty-year relationship with a woman, her struggles with her sexual identity, and her final years. Cathryn J. Prince is an adjunct professor of journalism at Fordham University. Her books include Queen of the Mountaineers: The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman and American Daredevil: The Extraordinary Life of Richard Halliburton, the World's First Celebrity Travel Writer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/lgbtq-studies

My guest today is Cathryn J. Prince the author of For the Love of Labor: The Life of Pauline Newman (U Illinois Press, 2026). From her start as one of the youngest activists in US history, Pauline Newman helped shape the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) into a dominant force in industrial America. Cathryn J. Prince follows Newman's life from a youth split between Lithuania and New York City sweatshops to her work as an advisor to New Deal–era labor secretary Frances Perkins. Newman's long hours at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory informed her entrée into labor activism. In the following years, she tirelessly advocated for workers, ran for New York Secretary of State as a socialist, and became the first woman to serve as the ILGWU general organizer. Her interest in the health of workers led to service on the Joint Board of Sanitary Control and a decades-long term as education director of the ILGWU health center. Membership in Eleanor Roosevelt's circle opened doors to government positions and advisory roles that continued into the postwar era. Prince also weaves in the details of Newman's fifty-year relationship with a woman, her struggles with her sexual identity, and her final years. Cathryn J. Prince is an adjunct professor of journalism at Fordham University. Her books include Queen of the Mountaineers: The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman and American Daredevil: The Extraordinary Life of Richard Halliburton, the World's First Celebrity Travel Writer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's Labor Radio Podcast Daily: The Labor Exchange reports a 99% strike authorization by JBS meatpacking workers. In labor history, the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire killed 146 workers. Quote of the day: Frances Perkins. @wpfwdc @AFLCIO #1u #UnionStrong #LaborRadioPod Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network. Produced by Chris Garlock, Patrick Dixon and Harold Phillips.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne The 3rd No Kings Day is coming up on March 28th FMI re No Kings Day FMI re No Kings Day events in Maine The Digital Security Discussion Group at the Witherle Memorial Library in Castine meets tonight from 5 to 6 pm. This week’s topic is This month’s topic is the Pros and Cons of Digital Surveillance and ID Verification. Moderated by Tom Lamontanaro. In person in the Downstairs Community Room at the Witherle, and over Zoom. To request the zoom link, email kathryn@witherlelibrary.net 36th Maine Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony coming up this Saturday, March 21st, at the University of Maine at Augusta, starting with a reception at 1 p.m., followed by the induction ceremony at 2 p.m. The 2026 inductees are Alane O'Connor, Director of Perinatal Addiction Medicine at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center “who has been in the forefront of addiction medicine in the state”, and the late Frances Perkins, U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Franklin Roosevelt “and architect of New Deal programs that Americans rely on today”. Live and online. RSVP if you plan to attend, by emailing mainewomenshalloffame@gmail.com. FMI: Maine Women’s Hall of Fame website Snow date is March 22 The League of Women Voters – Downeast is hosting an in-person and online discussion on county government in Maine, on Saturday in Ellsworth. Panelists will be Kate Cough, Editor at the Maine Monitor; John Wombacher, Hancock County Commissioner; and Nina Milliken, Hancock County Budget Committee and House Representative for District 16. The event is free and open to the public, Saturday from noon to 2pm at the Moore Community Center in Ellsworth Register here for the zoom link Questions may be submitted in advance by email to downeast@lwvme.o About the host: Amy Browne started out at WERU as a volunteer news & public affairs producer in 2000, co-hosting/co-producing RadioActive with Meredith DeFrancesco. She joined the team of Voices producers a few years later, and has been WERU's News & Public Affairs Manager since January, 2006. In addition to RadioActive, Voices, Maine Currents and Maine: The Way Life Could Be, Amy also produced and hosted the WERU News Report for several years. She has produced segments for national programs including Free Speech Radio News, This Way Out, Making Contact, Workers Independent News, Pacifica PeaceWatch, and Live Wire News, and has contributed to Democracy Now and the WBAI News Report. She is the recipient of the 2014 Excellence in Environmental Journalism Award from the Sierra Club of Maine, and Maine Association of Broadcasters awards for her work in 2017 and 2021. Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 3/18/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

We chat about Operation Epic Fury's latest developments and the Clintons' Epstein testimony. Then, Anders talks to Kim Kelly about her reporting on Trump's unhinged Labor Secretary, the Department's reichslop content and the oft overlooked history of Frances Perkins, who used DOL's authority to dismantle the Great Depression version of ICE. Kim's articles: https://thebaffler.com/latest/a-piece-of-work-kelly https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/sheris-ranch-union-united-brothel-workers/ Subscribe to our bonus feed for extra episodes at Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

For over 100 years, keeping Americans safe on the job has challenged the country's free-market economy. Businesses often preferred to regulate their workplaces without government oversight. But that track record is mixed. And federal efforts at safeguarding job sites at times have fallen short. Host Katherine Sullivan explores how far we've come since Frances Perkins helped put employee safety in the spotlight and what American workers still face now when they go to work.  This episode is part of The Wall Street Journal's USA250: The Story of the World's Greatest Economy, a collection of articles, videos and podcasts aiming to offer a deeper understanding of how America has evolved. Additional reading and listening: A Timeline of Key Moments in the History of Work in America  Coal Miners' Trade Off: Trump Boosts Production but Slashes Safety Programs  An Economy Built on Speculation—for Better and for Worse  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Americans are facing an affordability crisis. We're here after years of union busting, lax antitrust enforcement and corporate takeover of our democracy and now, fascism and oligarchy reigning over our society. So this Labor Day, I want to tell you about a woman whose courage, vision, and persistence transformed America and the American workplace: a woman who truly knew the meaning of affording your life, Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins.When President Franklin Roosevelt appointed her in 1933, Perkins became the first woman in U.S. history to serve in the Cabinet. But she was more than a symbol—she was a reformer, a fighter, and the architect of many of the protections we now take for granted.She came into office at the height of the Great Depression, when millions of Americans were out of work, when wages were low, hours were long, and protections were almost nonexistent. Frances Perkins had already seen the consequences of unsafe working conditions firsthand. As a young woman, she had watched the flames of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, when 146 garment workers—mostly immigrant women—died because they were locked inside a burning building. That tragedy seared into her the determination to make workers' lives safer, fairer, and more dignified.As Secretary of Labor, Perkins set out an ambitious agenda—and she achieved it. She helped design and implement the Social Security Act of 1935, which for the first time gave Americans a system of old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, and aid to families in need. She championed the Fair Labor Standards Act, which established the minimum wage, the 40-hour work week, and restrictions on child labor. She was instrumental in creating the Civilian Conservation Corps and Public Works Administration, which gave jobs to millions.Her guiding principle was simple but powerful: that the government has a responsibility to protect workers from exploitation and to ensure that prosperity is shared, not hoarded.Frances Perkins knew these reforms would not come easily. She faced resistance not only from business interests but also from members of Congress and even some within the Roosevelt administration. Yet she persisted. With intelligence, patience, and moral conviction, she turned ideas that seemed radical into law.Her legacy lives with us every day. When you receive a paycheck that honors overtime pay, when you see a child in school instead of working in a factory, when you know that your retirement is backed by Social Security—those are the reforms of Frances Perkins.She once said, “The people are what matter to government, and a government should aim to give all the people under its jurisdiction the best possible life.”This Labor Day, remember Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, a true Affording Your Life visionary. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit affordingyourlife.substack.com

On this Fourth of July holiday, highlights from our centennial series, 100 Years of 100 Things:Richard Haass, American diplomat, former president of the Council on Foreign Relations, senior counselor at the global investment firm Centerview Partners, and the author of The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens (Penguin Press, 2023) reviews the history of American's global influence, from World War I to today.Annie Polland, president of the Tenement Museum, looks at the life and enduring legacy of Frances Perkins, the first female cabinet member as Secretary of Labor who was instrumental in crafting The New Deal, and passing a slew of federal workers protections, including Social Security, a minimum wage and a 40-hour work week.Kevin Young, poet, New Yorker poetry editor and the editor of A Century of Poetry in The New Yorker (Knopf, 2025), goes through the history of poetry appearing in The New Yorker, and what was left out.Clay Risen, New York Times reporter and the author of Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America (Scribner, 2025), goes through the history of the Cold War-era struggle inside the US between the FDR progressives and social conservatives and how it continues to reverberate.Felix Contreras, host and co-creator of NPR's Alt.Latino, talks about the life and legacy of music icon Celia Cruz, born 100 years ago. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity and the original web versions are available here:100 Years of 100 Things: America the Superpower (Nov 24, 2024)100 Years of 100 Things: Frances Perkins (Mar 17, 2025)100 Years of 100 Things: New Yorker Poetry (Mar 7, 2025)100 Years of 100 Things: Blacklisting (Mar 26, 2025)100 Years of 100 Things: Celia Cruz (May 8, 2025)

GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY IN WALDPORT, OREGON; HOMELESSNESS; GA NUKE ELECTION THEFT; NUKES ON FIRE Our great poet laureate MIMI GERMAN kicks us off with her usual genius at the GREEP zoom #225 from Monday, June 2, 2025. Mimi additionally fills us in on the astounding fight for real grassroots democracy in the allegoric & all-too-real “Mayberry” on the Oregon coast. Homelessness advocate SUSIE SHANNON gives us a full & powerful report on the horrific Budget Bill's ugly assault on the tragically unhoused. Minnesota's KARLA SAND questions the role of Medicaid qualifiers for elder citizens. From DR. NANCY NIPARKO we get a unique medical perspective on the horrendous impacts of being unhoused. We hear from MIKE HERSH that his blog on Trump reminds us that FDR had Eleanor & Frances Perkins at his back. From Georgia we hear from the great RAY MCCLENDON about a critical upcoming utility commission election in the Peach State. PSC candidate DANIEL BLACKMAN tells us first hand about the challenges of running for election amidst some of the most corrupt electoral realities anywhere. Legendary Pacifica activist MYLA RESON asks what we can do to help Daniel help save Georgia's electricity grid. That sentiment is echoed by Alabama native DR. RUTH STRAUSS. New Jersey activist MICKI LEADER also calls for grassroots activism to save our democracy. From PAUL MOBLEY we get a terrifying report on the health disaster at the Portsmouth-Piketone uranium facility in southern Ohio. The great KARL GROSSMAN reports on the bad news from Trump's death machine on pushing new atomic reactors. The court-killing clause in Trump's “beautiful” bill is raised by LYNN FEINERMAN and DANIELA GHIBELLI…on which we'll do a deeper dive next week.    

From Social Security and the minimum wage to exit signs and fire escapes, Frances Perkins transformed how people in the U.S. lived and worked. Today on the show: how a middle class do-gooder became one of the savviest and most powerful people in American politics — and built the social safety net we have today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Traditional histories give President Franklin Delano Roosevelt a lot of credit for guiding the United States out of the Great Depression. But his best move may have been appointing the first woman ever to join a presidential cabinet. As Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins won victories on public works for increased employment, 8 hour work days, minimum wage, Social Security, workplace safety standards, and no child labor. Many of her programs are still in place for Americans today. Please vote for me in the Women Podcasters Awards (https://bit.ly/43gK8Pt) I'm in the History category. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interview with a Debut Author  This January, we spoke with the author of Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany. Released on January 21, 2025, this new book is a fascinating portrait of the progressive female trailblazer and US Secretary for Labor who navigated the foreboding rise of Nazism in her battle to make America a safer place for refugees. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the Immigration and Naturalization Service—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” This outstanding, inspiring new narrative of the first woman to serve in a president's cabinet reveals the full, never-before-told story of her role in saving Jewish refugees during the Nazi regime. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Dr. Rebecca Brenner Graham is a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University who has a PhD in history from American University. She previously taught at the Madeira School and American University. In 2023, she was awarded a Cokie Roberts Fellowship from the National Archives Foundation and a Rubenstein Center Research Fellowship from the White House Historical Association. Her writing has been published in The Washington Post, Time, Slate, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere.  Interviewer Jennie B. Ziegler, Assistant Chair of English at the University of North Florida, completed her M.F.A. in Nonfiction at the University of Arizona. Her work has been published in the University of Texas' Bat City Review, New York University's The Washington Square Review, Bending Genres, Roanoke Review, Squawk Back, MAYDAY Magazine, The Normal School, Essay Daily, and the Appalachian Review, among other outlets. She often focuses on history, the body, folklore, region, science, and identity in her lyric essays. Currently, she is working on Still-Wilds, a collaborative collection of photography and essays that document the preserved areas of Northeast Florida. Find more of her work at jennieziegler.com. Read the book Check out Rebecca's debut novel from the Library: https://jaxpl.na4.iiivega.com/search?query=Rebecca%20Brenner%20Graham&searchType=agent&pageSize=10  Did you know that all of our Lit Chat authors' books count toward your Jax Stacks Reading Challenge completion? Find out what authors we're hosting this month and join in on the fun! Rebecca Recommends Never Caught by Erica Armstrong Dunbar Red Comet by Heather Clark Dolls of Our Lives by Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at https://bit.ly/JaxLibraryUpdates  Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaxlibrary Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaxLibrary/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaxlibrary/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jaxpubliclibraryfl Contact Us: jplpromotions@coj.net 

4/2/25: D.A. David Sullivan & Children's Advoc Ctr's Kara McElhone: combatting child abuse here. David Knowles w/ Pauline Productions' Jeannine Haas & actor Jarice Hanson: “Frances Perkins: A Woman's Work.” Rich Michelson previews “Poetry in Times of Crisis” – tomorrow at Forbes. Brian Adams w/ CISA Ex Dir Jennifer Core: Trump's assault on farmers—Is it time for pitchforks? Larry Hott recommends "Ain't No Back to a Merry-Go-Round," Portrait of a Lost Artist," & "Elie Weisel: Soul On Fire."

Eileen Boris, Professor of Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss Frances Perkins, the first female U.S. Secretary of Labor. Pat Gallagher, President of the North Coast Area Labor Federation, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the impact of tariffs on the economy, recent legislative changes in Ohio affecting university professors and the broader implications for union rights.

As our centennial series continues, Annie Polland, president of the Tenement Museum, looks at the life and enduring legacy of Frances Perkins, the first female cabinet member as Secretary of Labor who was instrumental in crafting The New Deal, and passing a slew of federal workers protections, including Social Security, a minimum wage and a 40-hour work week.

In this episode Kate is joined by writer and historian Dr. Rebecca Brenner Graham. Rebecca is a post-doctoral research associate at Brown University, but before that she taught high school history, an experience that we talk a lot more about in this episode. Her first book, out now, is called Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany, and it is not only a compelling history but holds valuable lessons for readers now. I also asked Rebecca to dig into her approach for publicizing a recently released book, and I think her advice will be a big help for other authors.

As Dr. Rebecca Brenner Graham shows us in this episode, the story of the first cabinet secretary who was a woman - Frances Perkins - has been missing its most consequential chapter. Dr. Graham discovered the story of how Frances Perkins organized and prodded the Federal government to allow Holocaust victims to escape before it was too late. Graham tells the story of how Perkins wielded power in Washington, and how a rare impeachment of a cabinet secretary began to curtail that power. But, she managed to save tens of thousands of people from death camps, thanks to empathy she felt from a young age for people who desperately needed protection.Information on her book can be found at https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author/rebecca-brenner-graham/Her website can be found at https://rebeccabrennergraham.com/She on social media at https://x.com/TheOtherRBGAxelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at https://twitter.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://instagram.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://facebook.com/axelbankhistoryCurrent Accounts: The Hinrich Foundation Trade PodcastHinrich Foundation is a unique Asia-based philanthropic organization that works to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

It's January 25th. This day in 1939, Republicans in Congress are holding hearings to impeach labor secretary Frances Perkins, claiming that she'd failed to deport a communist labor organizer.Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Rebecca Brenner Graham to discuss why they were going after Perkins in this moment, and how the impeachment effort fits into the wide scope of Perkins's politics and activism.Rebecca Brenner Graham, postdoctoral research associate at Brown University and author of the new book Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany.Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch!Find out more at thisdaypod.comThis Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories.If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.comGet in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Follow us on social @thisdaypodOur team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Brittani Brown, Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Frances Perkins was one of the most important Americans in the 20th century. She helped hundreds of people flee Nazi Germany and come to the United States when she was Secretary of Labor in the Franklin Roosevelt administration. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins…” A fascinating interview with Dr. Rebecca Graham. Episode 576.

She was the first female cabinet secretary, but secretly, out of the spotlight, Frances Perkins also saved countless lives during World War II. Author Rebecca Brenner Graham shares incredible stories from her new book, Dear Miss Perkins, which showcases the letters of people who wrote to Perkins, desperate for her help to escape Nazi Germany. As the longest-serving Labor Secretary, Perkins stared down personal attacks and fierce opposition to do what she knew was right: making quick decisions that would protect those at a time when many turned their backs. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our book is: Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts To Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (Citadel Press, 2025)  by Dr. Rebecca Brenner Graham, which is an inspiring new narrative of the first woman to serve in a president's cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. In March 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Frances Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by FDR. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” Perkins's early experiences working in Chicago's famed Hull House and as a firsthand witness to the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist fire shaped her determination to advocate for immigrants and refugees. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Our guest is: Dr Rebecca Brenner Graham who is a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University. Previously, she taught at the Madeira School and American University. She has a PhD in history and an MA in public history from American University, and a BA in history and philosophy from Mount Holyoke College. In 2023, she was awarded a Cokie Roberts Fellowship from the National Archives Foundation and a Rubenstein Center Research Fellowship from the White House Historical Association. Her writing has been published in The Washington Post, Time, Slate, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator, producer and show host of the Academic Life podcast. Listeners may enjoy this playlist: Secret Harvests Who Gets Believed Women's Activism and Sophonisba Breckinridge The House on Henry Street Leading from the Margins Hope for the Humanities PhD Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by sharing episodes. Join us to learn from experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 240+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Our book is: Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts To Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (Citadel Press, 2025)  by Dr. Rebecca Brenner Graham, which is an inspiring new narrative of the first woman to serve in a president's cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. In March 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Frances Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by FDR. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” Perkins's early experiences working in Chicago's famed Hull House and as a firsthand witness to the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist fire shaped her determination to advocate for immigrants and refugees. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Our guest is: Dr Rebecca Brenner Graham who is a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University. Previously, she taught at the Madeira School and American University. She has a PhD in history and an MA in public history from American University, and a BA in history and philosophy from Mount Holyoke College. In 2023, she was awarded a Cokie Roberts Fellowship from the National Archives Foundation and a Rubenstein Center Research Fellowship from the White House Historical Association. Her writing has been published in The Washington Post, Time, Slate, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator, producer and show host of the Academic Life podcast. Listeners may enjoy this playlist: Secret Harvests Who Gets Believed Women's Activism and Sophonisba Breckinridge The House on Henry Street Leading from the Margins Hope for the Humanities PhD Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by sharing episodes. Join us to learn from experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 240+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Our book is: Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts To Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (Citadel Press, 2025)  by Dr. Rebecca Brenner Graham, which is an inspiring new narrative of the first woman to serve in a president's cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. In March 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Frances Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by FDR. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” Perkins's early experiences working in Chicago's famed Hull House and as a firsthand witness to the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist fire shaped her determination to advocate for immigrants and refugees. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Our guest is: Dr Rebecca Brenner Graham who is a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University. Previously, she taught at the Madeira School and American University. She has a PhD in history and an MA in public history from American University, and a BA in history and philosophy from Mount Holyoke College. In 2023, she was awarded a Cokie Roberts Fellowship from the National Archives Foundation and a Rubenstein Center Research Fellowship from the White House Historical Association. Her writing has been published in The Washington Post, Time, Slate, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator, producer and show host of the Academic Life podcast. Listeners may enjoy this playlist: Secret Harvests Who Gets Believed Women's Activism and Sophonisba Breckinridge The House on Henry Street Leading from the Margins Hope for the Humanities PhD Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by sharing episodes. Join us to learn from experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 240+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Our book is: Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts To Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (Citadel Press, 2025)  by Dr. Rebecca Brenner Graham, which is an inspiring new narrative of the first woman to serve in a president's cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. In March 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Frances Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by FDR. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” Perkins's early experiences working in Chicago's famed Hull House and as a firsthand witness to the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist fire shaped her determination to advocate for immigrants and refugees. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Our guest is: Dr Rebecca Brenner Graham who is a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University. Previously, she taught at the Madeira School and American University. She has a PhD in history and an MA in public history from American University, and a BA in history and philosophy from Mount Holyoke College. In 2023, she was awarded a Cokie Roberts Fellowship from the National Archives Foundation and a Rubenstein Center Research Fellowship from the White House Historical Association. Her writing has been published in The Washington Post, Time, Slate, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator, producer and show host of the Academic Life podcast. Listeners may enjoy this playlist: Secret Harvests Who Gets Believed Women's Activism and Sophonisba Breckinridge The House on Henry Street Leading from the Margins Hope for the Humanities PhD Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by sharing episodes. Join us to learn from experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 240+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Our book is: Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts To Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (Citadel Press, 2025)  by Dr. Rebecca Brenner Graham, which is an inspiring new narrative of the first woman to serve in a president's cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. In March 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Frances Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by FDR. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” Perkins's early experiences working in Chicago's famed Hull House and as a firsthand witness to the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist fire shaped her determination to advocate for immigrants and refugees. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Our guest is: Dr Rebecca Brenner Graham who is a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University. Previously, she taught at the Madeira School and American University. She has a PhD in history and an MA in public history from American University, and a BA in history and philosophy from Mount Holyoke College. In 2023, she was awarded a Cokie Roberts Fellowship from the National Archives Foundation and a Rubenstein Center Research Fellowship from the White House Historical Association. Her writing has been published in The Washington Post, Time, Slate, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator, producer and show host of the Academic Life podcast. Listeners may enjoy this playlist: Secret Harvests Who Gets Believed Women's Activism and Sophonisba Breckinridge The House on Henry Street Leading from the Margins Hope for the Humanities PhD Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by sharing episodes. Join us to learn from experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 240+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Frances Perkins was an incredibly influential American yet is virtually unknown. What did she do? A lot! For instance, Social Security was her brainchild. And that's just the tip of the old iceberg. Explore her legacy with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. Students aboard a bus as they leave the shelter following a shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) Three dead, six injured after student opens fire at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin. Congressional report: Amazon warehouses most dangerous in country. Bill to expand social security backed by Senate democrats. President Biden dedicates monument to labor legend Frances Perkins.   The post The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – December 16, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

This Day in Maine for Monday, December 16, 2024.

She was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. Yet beyond these celebrated accomplishments there is another dimension to Frances Perkins's story. Without fanfare, and despite powerful opposition, Perkins helped save the lives of countless Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. “Immigration problems usually have to be decided in a few days. They involve human lives. There can be no delaying,” Perkins wrote in her memoir, The Roosevelt I Knew. In March 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by FDR. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” Perkins's early experiences working in Chicago's famed Hull House and as a firsthand witness to the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist fire shaped her determination to advocate for immigrants and refugees. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Based on extensive research, including thousands of letters housed in the National Archives, Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (Citadel Press, 2025) adds new dimension to an already extraordinary life story, revealing at last how one woman tried to steer the nation to a better, more righteous course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

She was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. Yet beyond these celebrated accomplishments there is another dimension to Frances Perkins's story. Without fanfare, and despite powerful opposition, Perkins helped save the lives of countless Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. “Immigration problems usually have to be decided in a few days. They involve human lives. There can be no delaying,” Perkins wrote in her memoir, The Roosevelt I Knew. In March 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by FDR. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” Perkins's early experiences working in Chicago's famed Hull House and as a firsthand witness to the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist fire shaped her determination to advocate for immigrants and refugees. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Based on extensive research, including thousands of letters housed in the National Archives, Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (Citadel Press, 2025) adds new dimension to an already extraordinary life story, revealing at last how one woman tried to steer the nation to a better, more righteous course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

She was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. Yet beyond these celebrated accomplishments there is another dimension to Frances Perkins's story. Without fanfare, and despite powerful opposition, Perkins helped save the lives of countless Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. “Immigration problems usually have to be decided in a few days. They involve human lives. There can be no delaying,” Perkins wrote in her memoir, The Roosevelt I Knew. In March 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by FDR. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” Perkins's early experiences working in Chicago's famed Hull House and as a firsthand witness to the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist fire shaped her determination to advocate for immigrants and refugees. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Based on extensive research, including thousands of letters housed in the National Archives, Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (Citadel Press, 2025) adds new dimension to an already extraordinary life story, revealing at last how one woman tried to steer the nation to a better, more righteous course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

She was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. Yet beyond these celebrated accomplishments there is another dimension to Frances Perkins's story. Without fanfare, and despite powerful opposition, Perkins helped save the lives of countless Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. “Immigration problems usually have to be decided in a few days. They involve human lives. There can be no delaying,” Perkins wrote in her memoir, The Roosevelt I Knew. In March 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by FDR. As Hitler rose to power, thousands of German-Jewish refugees and their loved ones reached out to the INS—then part of the Department of Labor—applying for immigration to the United States, writing letters that began “Dear Miss Perkins . . .” Perkins's early experiences working in Chicago's famed Hull House and as a firsthand witness to the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist fire shaped her determination to advocate for immigrants and refugees. As Secretary of Labor, she wrestled widespread antisemitism and isolationism, finding creative ways to work around quotas and restrictive immigration laws. Diligent, resilient, empathetic, yet steadfast, she persisted on behalf of the desperate when others refused to act. Based on extensive research, including thousands of letters housed in the National Archives, Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (Citadel Press, 2025) adds new dimension to an already extraordinary life story, revealing at last how one woman tried to steer the nation to a better, more righteous course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/genocide-studies

Frances Perkins wasn't just the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. She was also America's longest serving Secretary of Labor. The only thing that overshadows her status as a trailblazer is what she accomplished in office. She's the reason we have Social Security. She led the fight to end child labor, to establish a minimum wage and to create the 40-hour work week. She tried to establish universal health care… but hey, she was only human. Ready for the sad part? She did all of that while under constant personal attacks. Her political opponents tried to impeach her. They spread a rumor that she hadn't been born in America. Hmm… does any of that sound familiar? Ya know what Paula Abdul says… two steps forward and two steps back… Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from: The documentary, “Summoned: Frances Perkins and the General Welfare.” The book, “The Woman Behind the New Deal,” by Kirstin Downey The Frances Perkins Center website “Frances Perkins” entry on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Website Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts! Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you'll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90's style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin's previous podcast, Let's Go To Court.

Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. She's the reason we have Social Security. She led the fight to end child labor, to establish a minimum wage and to create the 40-hour work week. In this episode, we find out how this remarkable woman got her start. Did it help that her birth name was Fanny??? Possibly! Bad names build character! Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from: The documentary, “Summoned: Frances Perkins and the General Welfare.” The book, “The Woman Behind the New Deal,” by Kirstin Downey The Frances Perkins Center website Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts! Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you'll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90's style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin's previous podcast, Let's Go To Court.

Most accounts of women in mid-20th century American politics highlight trailblazers such as Frances Perkins or the handful of women elected to Congress in those years. But women's participation in politics- both as voters and as party activists- was far more significant than most Americans realize, elevating a group of white middle-class women into positions of influence over Presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Dwight Eisenhower.   Melissa Blair joins Ben & Bob to talk about how and why these women became cornerstones of party politics in these years and why they've largely been forgotten in our national memory. Melissa's book, Bringing Home the White House: The Hidden History of Women Who Shaped the Presidency in the Twentieth Century, chronicles the lives of five influential women whose work was critical in helping their party's candidate win the White House in this era.   Melissa Estes Blair is a Professor of History at Auburn University whose research focuses on women and politics in the United States in the twentieth century.   This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.

Happy Labor Day! We're celebrating the unsung women of the labor movement with Jenny Kaplan – CEO and co-founder of Wonder Media Network and the host of the “Womanica” podcast. Jenny shares the herstories of the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet, equal pay activists, a labor activist focused on gender and race in the workplace, and a politician engaged in women's and workers' issues while she was in Congress.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret finishes talking with Caitlin Durante about the first "Madame Secretary," who burned her political capital to keep the US border open and save Jewish children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret talks with Caitlin Durante about the first "Madame Secretary," who burned her political capital to keep the US border open and save Jewish children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shattering Ceilings, Shaping a Nation: The Frances Perkins Story with Stephanie Dray on The Not Old Better Show The Not Old Better Show, Art of Living Interview Series Welcome to The Not Old Better Show, Art of Living Interview Series on radio and podcast, where history and the present converge to inspire, inform, and ignite our audience. Today, we're embarking on a journey through time, guided by the New York Times Bestselling author, Stephanie Dray, a master of historical fiction who brings to life the stories of women whose legacies have sculpted our world. In this episode, we delve deep into the heart of early 20th-century America with Stephanie Dray's latest tour de force, which is available at Apple Books, "Becoming Madam Secretary." This riveting novel chronicles the real life of Frances Perkins, a woman of indomitable spirit and intellect, who shattered glass ceilings to become the first female Cabinet member in U.S. history, serving as Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Raised on tales of revolutionary ancestors, Perkins' journey from the tenements of New York City's Hell's Kitchen to the corridors of power in Washington, D.C., is a testament to her unwavering determination to enact change. Through Dray's meticulous research and compelling narrative, we witness Perkins navigating a world dominated by men, her life intertwined with figures like Sinclair Lewis and Eleanor Roosevelt, and her pivotal role in shaping policies that remain cornerstones of American society, such as social security and labor rights. But "Becoming Madam Secretary" is more than a chronicle of political achievement; it's a story of personal sacrifice, love, loss, and the balance between public service and private life in times of national crisis. It's a tale that resonates profoundly with our audience, reminding us of the enduring impact of perseverance, vision, and the courage to challenge the status quo. Join us for an enlightening conversation with NYT best-selling author Stephanie Dray, as we explore the depths of Frances Perkins' legacy, the challenges of bringing historical figures to life, and the lessons their stories hold for us today. This is not just history; it's inspiration for living our best lives, understanding the power of resilience, and the importance of contributing to a world that future generations will inherit. Prepare to be captivated by the story of a woman who dared to dream, fight, and pave the way for a better tomorrow. This is The Not Old Better Show, where the past is always present, and the future is something we create together. Stay tuned. My thanks to  NYT best-selling author Stephanie Dray who's written the new book, "Becoming Madam Secretary”.  My thanks to you, our wonderful audience here on radio and podcast.  My thanks to Executive Producer, Sam Heninger.  Please be well, be safe, and Let's Talk About Better™. The Not Old Better Show, Art of Living Interview Series  on radio and podcast. Thanks, everybody, and we'll see you next week.