Frances Perkins was the first female Cabinet member and the woman behind the New Deal. Her legacy is deserving of a national monument.
NEWCASTLE, Maine – The Frances Perkins Center today launched a major campaign asking President Biden to designate the Frances Perkins National Historic Landmark in Newcastle, ME, as the country’s newest national monument.
“We have an opportunity to create a new national monument honoring one of the most influential women in US history, right here in Maine,” said Giovanna Gray Lockhart, executive director of the Frances Perkins Center. “Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in the cabinet of a US president and a major force in the creation and implementation of significant elements of the New Deal, including Social Security, the 40-hour work week and the minimum wage. With a national monument designation, not only will she receive the recognition she deserves, more people will be able to learn about her work and future generations will be inspired by her incredible legacy.”
In March as part of Women’s History Month, President Biden issued an executive order directing the US Department of Interior to identify sites that recognize the contributions of women in US history and to strengthen the National Park Service’s recognition of women’s history.
Inspired by the executive order, the board of directors for the Frances Perkins Center, which owns and manages the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark has discussed the potential of a new monument with the US Department of Interior honoring Frances Perkins.
“Frances Perkins deserves to be remembered for her visionary leadership and tireless devotion to the rights of workers and children,“ said Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association. "She dedicated her life to protecting the rights so many of us enjoy today, and her story belongs in the National Park System.
“President Biden has an extraordinary opportunity to create a national park site that will honor her life, and will help carry her work forward so future generations can better appreciate how this remarkable woman helped shape our nation.”
The president of the United States is empowered to create national monuments under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906. Used to safeguard and preserve federal lands and cultural and historical sites for all Americans, 18 presidents have used this authority and have designated 161 national monuments.
“Frances Perkins made her home in Maine. She was a trailblazer, the first female presidential Cabinet member, the mother of the modern labor movement, and a pioneering advocate for social justice, economic security, and workers’ rights,” said U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1st). “By designating the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historical Landmark as a national monument, more people could learn about this incredible woman and the power of government to be a force for good. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Department of the Interior, I fully support this effort and hope to see a national monument designation move forward.”
“Frances Perkins has always been an enormous inspiration to me as an elected official. I take her and that inspiration with me to the State House every day, often asking myself before a difficult vote, "What would Frances do?” said Frances Perkins Center board member and State Sen. Peggy Rotundo.
“Frances Perkins was a trailblazer who was deeply devoted to improving the lives of those around her, and Maine is deeply honored to be a part of her remarkable story ” said US Senator Angus King (I-ME). “The first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position, she was a driving force as President Franklin Roosevelt’s secretary of labor during the pivotal New Deal era — truly a historic moment in time for the nation.”
King continued: “Her commitment to ensuring hardworking families have the resources to succeed and thrive is still felt today throughout the nation — from social security to unemployment insurance to the minimum wage. President Biden has said he wants to recognize important women in American history through the monument process; Frances Perkins’ contributions to our nation should make this an easy choice. Designating the Frances Perkins National Historic Landmark as the nation’s newest national monument would not only be a tribute to her incredible legacy, but also a testament to the leadership and resolve of so many Maine women following in her footsteps.”
Only the president has the authority to designate a national monument under the Antiquities Act, and while supporters of the campaign to honor Frances Perkins are asking for quick action, any such declaration is at the discretion of the president.
The Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark consists of 57 acres along the Damariscotta River. The proposed boundary of the national monument would include the entire property, but the initial donation to the American people would include the Brick House, barn and adjacent property. The Frances Perkins center would maintain ownership of land sufficient for the future, private construction of an educational center.
All 57 acres are currently owned by the Frances Perkins Center.
For more information about the campaign, visit: https://francesperkinscenter.org.
For partner press inquiries, please contact: David Farmer dfarmer@bernsteinshur.com (207) 557-5968
High resolution photos are available here.
Supporters weigh in on a national monument for Frances Perkins
Maine Governor Janet Mills:
“The history of Maine runs through the lives of the men and women who have helped to shape our country and our national character. Frances Perkins sits firmly among a long list of leaders who have had a lasting, positive impact on our country.
“In 2020, USA Today compiled a list of the Women of the Century in Maine. It was my great honor to be listed alongside the likes of Frances Perkins, Margaret Chase Smith, Olympia Snowe, Judith Magyar Isaacson, Florence Brooks Whitehouse, Mabel Sine Wadsworth, Patricia Ryan and Thelma Swain.
“Maine is the cradle for amazing women leaders. By using your authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to establish the Frances Perkins National Historic Landmark as a national monument you can help to ensure that the legacy of Frances Perkins and her numerous accomplishments are recognized and celebrated.”
Maine Senate President Troy Jackson:
“Frances Perkins spent her life fighting for working people. She believed that the ladder of success should be held up for everyone, and that in a race to the bottom, everyone loses. Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet and was instrumental in creating Social Security, the 40-hour workweek, and many of the most important policies of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.
“The National Park Service is the gold standard when it comes to bringing our country’s history to life. Newcastle is located near many of the destinations that draw millions of visitors to Maine each year. A new national monument honoring Frances Perkins would encourage those visitors to stop and learn about the impact she continues to have on working people today.”
Speaker of the Maine House Rachel Talbot Ross:
“Too often, the women who have helped to build this great country of ours have been left out of history, overlooked and sometimes ignored.
“I so appreciate your Executive Order from March directing the Secretary of Interior to identify opportunities within sites of national importance to highlight important female figures that shaped our nation’s history.
“The Frances Perkins National Historic Landmark is just such a site. Located in Newcastle, Maine, the Frances Perkins Homestead is currently operated by the Frances Perkins Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of the first woman to ever serve in the cabinet of a US president.”
Maine Commissioner of Labor Laura Fortman:
“There is perhaps no single person who has been more consequential in advocating for workers’ rights than Frances Perkins. Her life and legacy continue to serve as an inspiration and a beacon for those who care about and advocate for working people.
“Frances Perkins’ accomplishments impact everyone in our country, even today. From her role in the creation of Social Security, to her advocacy for worker safety after the deadly Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, to the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the nation’s workforce is safer and more equitable because of the work that Perkins led.
“Mainers are rightly proud that Frances Perkins made her home in our state, returning here for rest, recuperation, and inspiration. Help us to protect her legacy and share her story.
Maine Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli and Maine Senate Assistant Majority Leader Mattie Daughtry:
“Maine is incredibly proud of the contributions that Frances Perkins has made to our country and the impact her work still has today.
“After witnessing the horror of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, Perkins became a committed activist working to improve workplace safety. She joined the cabinet of President Franklin D. Roosevelt as Secretary of Labor, becoming the first woman to serve as a cabinet secretary in the United States. In that role, she was a driving force behind many of the most critical policies of the New Deal.
“The Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark would be a fitting and worthy addition to the National Park System, and an important reminder of our shared history.
Maine House Majority Leader Mo Terry and Assistant Maine House Majority Leader Kristen Cloutier:
“Frances Perkins believed that the government should serve all people, not just the wealthy and influential. She was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet, leading the US Department of Labor for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In that position, she made our country better, promoted the welfare of working people and helped to enact policies that still serve people today.
“Perkins is also an inspiration to generations of women whose advancement in government and politics she helped to make possible. Perkins worked hard to earn a seat at the highest table in American government and, through her passion and commitment, helped to open that opportunity for many who have followed.
“By designating the Frances Perkins National Historic Landmark a national monument, the story of Frances Perkins – and all that she has done for our country – will inspire future leaders in Maine and across the country.”
Holly Stover, Maine State Representative District 48, representing Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb, South Bristol, Southport and Westport Island:
“Frances Perkins sits firmly among a long list of leaders who have had a lasting, positive impact on our country. Each time I drive past the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark, I thank Frances Perkins for the foundational impact she had on the American workplace, worker safety, and economic justice. While Maine is honored to count Frances Perkins as one of our own, her work and story belong to the people of the United States.”
Maine State Senator Cameron Reny, District 13:
“Designating this site a national monument would also be important to the local economy in Lincoln County, Maine–an economy still recovering from devastating damage to its shore, infrastructure, and working waterfront following storms in 2023 and 2024. Now, more than ever, our economy benefits from ‘Vacationland’ tourism.”
Trish Riley, chair of the University of Maine Board of Trustees:
“As that first woman to serve in the cabinet of a US president, Perkins gave women a seat at the most important policy table in the country, paving the way for me and generations of women. She changed our country for the better, and the policies she advocated for and helped to implement – Social Security, the 40-hour work week, the minimum wage – are still having a profound impact on people today.“
“Frances Perkins’ legacy touches almost everyone in the country, and now it’s time for all of us to make sure that her story is known far and wide.”
Jacqueline Edmondson, president, University of Southern Maine:
“The University of Southern Maine is proud to be the home of the Dr. Charles A. Scontras Center for Labor and Community Education. The Center provides training, education and resources to unions, community groups and worker organizations, and it strives to be a bridge between the University and residents across Maine. Dr. Scontras, for whom the Center is named, taught modern society, history, and political science at the University of Maine for 36 years. He was a historian of the labor movement and author. When tasked with helping to create a mural depicting the history of the Labor Movement, Dr. Scontras and his colleagues included Frances Perkins in a prominent panel along with other labor reformers. We’re proud of Dr. Scontras’s legacy and that we are able to continue his work at the University of Southern Maine. As stewards of his legacy of championing labor reform, I believe that he would appreciate the nature of this letter.
“It is my hope that you will consider designating the Frances Perkins National Historic Landmark as a national monument, managed by the National Park Service.”
Anna Kellar, executive director, League of Women Voters of Maine:
“Often referred to as ‘the woman behind the New Deal,’ Frances Perkins secured protections for American workers that continue to serve as cornerstones of our society today, including Social Security, minimum wage, unemployment insurance, and a ban on child labor. She formulated policies and programs that bolstered the economy and lifted millions of working people across the country from the Great Depression—at a time when this leadership was desperately needed.
“It is now time to take the next step in heralding the life and achievements of Frances Perkins, by designating her ancestral homestead, The Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark located in Newcastle, Maine, a National Monument.”
John Baldacci, former Governor of Maine:
“Frances Perkins is a hero to American workers, and a woman who broke new ground in the federal government. More people should know about her, and the impact that she still has on America today.”
Mike Michaud, former US Representative and former Assistant US Secretary of Labor for VETS:
“As you know, Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in the cabinet of a US President. As Secretary of Labor for President Franklin Roosevelt, she was the driving force behind many of the New Deal programs that helped our country emerge from the Great Depression and still help working people today. Her legacy lives on in the Department of Labor today. She is an inspiration to the many public servants in the department who are committed to the American worker and strive to live up to the example she set..
“But this designation is about more than the things that happened during FDR’s tenure. Honoring Frances Perkins matters today because of the lasting impact she has had on the American workplace and American families.”
Francis Eanes, executive director, Maine Labor Climate Council:
“From fire safety to Social Security to workplace respect and dignity, Frances Perkins continues to have a positive impact on working people today. A new national monument will tell her story, and also remind the country that the progress we have made to a more just and equitable country was not guaranteed, but came about because people like Perkins were willing to make it happen.”
