The Woman Behind the New Deal

The Woman Behind the New Deal is a non-fiction book published in 2009 by the American author Kirstin Downey. It tells the largely untold story of Frances Perkins, the U.S. Labor Secretary from 1933 to 1945 who was instrumental in helping Franklin Roosevelt craft the historic and far-reaching New Deal legislation. She is also the first woman ever appointed to the U.S. Cabinet.

When Roosevelt selected Perkins to be his Labor Secretary, she was 52 years old and wore tri-cornered hats. She kept files on the behavior of her male colleagues in a folder called "Notes on the Male Mind." She fashioned her public persona to be as plain and matronly as possible because, according to her observations, men would only accept a woman in politics at that time if she reminded them of their mothers. Here's how Perkins described her approach toward politics:

"I tried to have as much of a mask as possible. I wanted to give the impression of being a quiet, orderly woman who didn't buzz-buzz all the time. ... I knew that a lady interposing an idea into men's conversation is very unwelcome. I just proceeded on the theory that this was a gentleman's conversation on the porch of a golf club perhaps. You didn't butt in with bright ideas."



But even if she didn't "butt in" with her bright ideas, those ideas made their way into the conversation of Roosevelt's inner circle and, eventually, became the law of the land. Perkins was instrumental in pushing then-groundbreaking ideas on behalf of the labor movement, including minimum wage, work-hour limitations, and the Social Security Act. Despite serving as industrial commissioner in New York State, overseeing 1,800 employees and helping to place New York at the vanguard of progressive labor reform, the American Federation of Labor vigorously protested her appointment. They said she didn't have enough labor experience, but it is difficult, Downey writes, to accept that sexism had nothing to do with their complaints.

Although Roosevelt was keen in supporting Perkins' policy goals and evangelizing on their behalf whenever possible, Downey writes that the president was very inconsistent in defending Perkins against attacks on her character. He was largely silent, for example, when Congress sought to impeach Perkins after she refused to deport Harry Bridges, the head of the west coast International Longshore and Warehouse Union who had been accused of being a communist. Bridges' case eventually made it to the Supreme Court where the man was vindicated in the face of those charges. It is therefore a testament to Perkins' conviction as well as her judgment that she stood firm against increasingly vociferous calls for her impeachment.

Perkins' other accomplishments include becoming the chairperson of the President's Committee on Economic Security. While serving in this role, she helped shepherd the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a work relief program targeted at unemployed, unmarried men below the age of 25. She also helped First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt organize the female counterpart to the CCC, known as the "She-She-She Camps." In 1935, Perkins drafted the landmark Social Security Act, a key component of Roosevelt's reforms.



In addition to Perkins' monumental achievements as Labor Secretary, Downey examines the woman's brave and fascinating accomplishments from prior to joining Roosevelt's administration. For example, after attending college at Mount Holyoke, where she first became politically active with a group of suffragists, Perkins moved to Chicago where she worked--at great personal risk to herself--to expose fake employment offices that preyed on impoverished immigrant women, luring them into lives of prostitution. Perhaps the most formative experience of her young life, however, occurred in New York City where she witnessed the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire which killed 146 workers, most of whom were immigrant women. From that day forth, Perkins resolved to work on behalf of the working class to ensure safe, productive working environments.

Downey also discusses Perkins' personal life. She was the chief breadwinner of her family, required to take care of her husband who suffered from bipolar disorder, as well as their daughter who also likely suffered from the same disease--all this at a time when mental health was still in its infancy as a profession and area of study. In fact, Perkins' husband escaped from a mental institution on the very day the Social Security Act she drafted was signed into law.

The Woman Behind the New Deal highlights the amazing life and career of a woman who is sadly underappreciated and under-mentioned in American history books. One can only hope that Downey's essential biography helps rectify that.