Official White House announcements or news reports

Biden to Honor First Female Cabinet Secretary Frances Perkins with National Monument

Dec 16, 2024, 01:34 PM

President Joe Biden will sign a proclamation on Monday to establish the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine, honoring the first woman to serve in a presidential Cabinet. Perkins, who served as Labor Secretary under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was a driving force behind the New Deal, which included landmark legislation like the Social Security Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the National Labor Relations Act. Her legacy also includes the establishment of workers' rights to organize and collective bargaining, as well as the implementation of minimum wage, unemployment insurance, and the 40-hour workweek. The monument will be located at Perkins' family homestead, a 57-acre property along the Damariscotta River, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark since 2014. The signing ceremony will take place at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Frances Perkins Building in Washington, with acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, and other Cabinet members in attendance. This proclamation comes as Biden seeks to highlight his commitment to labor and women's rights.