Frances Perkins Life
This is the name of Frances's daughter.
What is Susanna Wilson?
This president launched the New Deal during the Great Depression.
Who is Franklin D. Roosevelt?
Legendary reformer who trained at Hull House with Jane Addams and earned a law degree, a founding member of the NAACP, a suffragist and someone Frances admired most in the world.
Who is Florence Kelly?
Frances Perkins changed her name from Fannie to Frances to sound more professional.
✅ What is Fact ?
She chose the name “Frances” herself to reflect her independence and professionalism.
Frances often quoted her as saying: If someone opens a door of opportunity for you it’s the Lord’s will, so walk right in and do the best you can.
Who is Frances's Grandmother. Cynthia Otis?
This tragic event inspired Frances's advocacy for workers.
What is the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire?
Frances Perkins was instrumental in creating this landmark social safety net program?
What is Social Security?
Tammany Hall boss of Hell's Kitchen called the Devil's Deputy.
Who is "The McManus" ( aka Thomas J McManus)?
Frances was arrested for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee.
❌ What is Fiction?
While she was pressured during the Red Scare, she was not arrested or formally charged.
After he introduced Frances to Mr. H.F. J. Porter, her formal education in fire safety began.
Who is Paul Wilson? The man who eventually became her husband.
Mr. Porter was a fire prevention engineer from Chicago who convinced his father to advocate for fire walls and fire safety in the Marshall Field's stores.
Frances's illustrious kinsman, James Otis Jr's famed revolutionary slogan.
What is: No Taxation without Representation?
This New Deal agency created jobs through public works projects—Perkins supported its labor standards.
What is the Works Progress Administration (WPA)?
He was the only public official who went door to door, paying respects to immigrant relatives of those who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.
Who is Al Smith?
Frances Perkins was one of the few cabinet members who served throughout all four terms of FDR’s presidency.
✅ What is Fact?
In the book, whenever she tried to resign, FDR sweet talked her into staying and refused to accept her resignation.
Co-founder of the Junior League along with Eleanor Roosevelt.
Who was Mary Harriman Rumsey?
Frances belonged to this religious denomination.
What is Episcopalian?
Frances converted from Congregationalist to Episcopalian soon after she left home.
One of Perkins' goals was to abolish this exploitative labor practice.
What is child labor?
Appointed to the Federal Bench in '41, where he served as a champion of civil liberties.
Who is Charlie Wyznaski?
Frances Perkins secretly advised Eleanor Roosevelt on how to navigate politics behind the scenes.
❌ What is Fiction?
There was mutual respect but no secret political advising documented.
His wife was Bureau Chief in Berlin for the New York Evening Post.
Who was Sinclair Lewis (Dorothy Thompson)?
Author and somewhat erstwhile suitor of Frances's.
Frances Perkins went to this college.
What is Mt. Holyoke?
This legislation, influenced by Perkins, established the 40-hour work week, minimum wage, and overtime.
What is the Fair Labor Standards Act?
After the stock market crash in 1929, Frances called out this Presidential administration for lying about employment statistics in a press conference in January 1930.
Who is Herbert Hoover's?
Frances almost resigned as Secretary of Labor over a deportation case involving Harry Bridges.
✅ What is Fact?
She was threatened with impeachment for refusing to deport labor leader Harry Bridges without sufficient evidence.
She was no mothball wife.
Who was Eleanor Roosevelt?
Definition: taken out of mothball storage for fancy functions/ornamental--instead she was a real political partner.