Frances Perkins Center

10/09/2026

You never know where a tribute to Frances Perkins might turn up.

Nestled in the Catskill Mountains two hours north of New York City—the site of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire—lies the small town of Claryville (pop. 400). Inside the local firehouse hangs a plaque dedicated to Perkins and her work in the aftermath of that deadly tragedy to create fire safety codes and regulations that are still in place today. Safety measures such as sprinklers, fire alarms, and fire escapes continue to make the work of firefighters (and the communities they serve) safer.

Images: (L) Chief Metzger, Claryville Volunteer Fire Department, holding the dedication plaque. (R) Frances Perkins inspecting a factory with New York's Committee on Safety. Frances Perkins Papers, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University, c. 1911.

09/28/2026

09/22/2026

09/09/2026

⭐️Proud member since 2009! ⭐️

Thank you Maine Association of Nonprofits for all you do to support mission-driven organizations 💫🤍💫

🌟 Nonprofit Member Highlight: Frances Perkins Center

Based at the new Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, the Frances Perkins Center inspires current and future generations to understand and uphold the government’s role in providing social justice and economic security for all. Their work carries forward the legacy of Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, champion of American workers and the first woman in a presidential cabinet. Learn more at https://francesperkinscenter.org

🎉 Member Since 2009 🎉 Thank you for being part of MANP’s statewide network of 1,300+ nonprofit members and partners across business, government, and philanthropy. Together, we strengthen Maine!

📸 Photos courtesy of Frances Perkins Center.

09/08/2026

OPINION: "This Labor Day, our mission is to honor the American workforce that built our nation’s strength, prosperity and high standard of living, while acknowledging that there is still work yet to be done. As we envision the next 250 years, we can find inspiration in the dreamers and doers who came before us."

https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/6070213-frances-perkins-labor-legacy/

09/07/2026

This Labor Day, we pay respect to two unforgettable women who used their wildly different talents to leave the world better than they found it.

Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was the force behind the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938, which codified fundamental labor protections, including the federal minimum wage and standardized workweek that would eventually lead to the “nine-to-five” schedule.

Dolly Parton gave a powerful new voice to these issues in her iconic 1980 pop masterpiece “9 to 5,” bringing Perkins’ hard-won accomplishments into the modern era and spotlighting the challenges women continued to face in the workplace decades after the FLSA was signed into law.

09/03/2026

👉From Frances Perkins to trailblazers like "Ms." magazine co-founder Gloria Steinem, women have long challenged norms and reshaped history 🩷

In this insightful article for "Ms.", Rebecca Brenner Graham, historian and author of "Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from N**i Germany", examines Perkins' legacy through the evolution of her name and titles. ⤵️

Exploring the evolving identities and legacy of Frances Perkins, the pioneering labor secretary who navigated gender and politics.