Frances Perkins was the secretary of labor during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency and the first woman to hold a cabinet position in United States history. She was committed to improving the lives of workers and legitimizing the role of labor unions in American society. Perkins was also a skilled politician who influenced the political agenda of her time, advocating for economic justice, the equal rights amendment, and security for all Americans.

Born in Boston in 1880, Perkins grew up in a middle-class family. She attended Mount Holyoke College, where she studied natural sciences and economics. She then proceeded to become involved in actisim regarding labor unions and labor rights. She successfully lobbied her state legislature for a bill limiting the workweek for women and children to 54 hours. Truly, she became active in the women's suffrage movement, marching in suffrage parades and giving street-corner speeches.

Finally, President Franklin D Roosevelt appointed her as Secretary of Labor where she continued to expand rights for labor unions and women.