Frances Perkins, whose roots were in Maine, is remembered as “the woman behind the New Deal.” As FDR’s Secretary of Labor and the first woman to serve as a cabinet secretary, Perkins was the driving force behind the policies that pulled the nation out of The Great Depression of the 1930s. We discuss how her pioneering work on behalf of the rights of workers and the middle class is relevant today, as we face a similarly dire economic crisis due to the pandemic. This show is part of our ongoing covering of topics relating to Maine’s bicentennial.
Guests
- Kirstin Downey, journalist and author of The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR’s Secretary of Labor and Moral Conscience
- Michael Chaney, Executive Director, The Frances Perkins Center in Damariscotta
- Sarah Peskin, chair of the board of directors of the Frances Perkins Center
Resources
- THE WOMAN BEHIND THE NEW DEAL
- Frances Perkins: Architect of the New Deal
- The Living New Deal
- National New Deal Preservation Association
- Social Security Pioneers
- Frances Perkins and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory tragedy
- Millions Have Lost Health Insurance in Pandemic-Driven Recession
- 12TH ANNUAL GARDEN PARTY GOES VIRTUAL