President Joe Biden is set to sign a proclamation establishing the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine. This new monument honors Frances Perkins, America's first female Cabinet Secretary and the longest-serving Secretary of Labor.
Frances Perkins played a significant role in shaping the New Deal and spearheaded numerous labor and economic reforms that continue to impact Americans today. Serving under President Franklin D. Roosevelt for 12 years, she was instrumental in creating Social Security, supporting workers during the Great Depression, advocating for collective bargaining rights, and establishing minimum wage laws.
During a visit to the Department of Labor's Frances Perkins Building, President Biden will highlight her enduring legacy. He will also emphasize his administration's efforts to support labor and strengthen the workforce. "President Biden is proud to be the most pro-union and pro-worker president in history," according to a statement from his office.
The designation of this national monument aligns with President Biden's March 2024 Executive Order aimed at recognizing women's history. Alongside this announcement, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland will reveal five new National Historic Landmarks that enhance women's historical representation across America.
The Frances Perkins National Monument includes 57 acres of the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark site in Newcastle, Maine. The homestead was central to Perkins' life and remains largely unchanged since her time there. The core area has been donated to the National Park Service as part of the new monument.
This initiative supports broader efforts by the Biden-Harris Administration to recognize women's contributions throughout American history. Over $40 million has been invested in restoring sites that highlight these stories.
Secretary Haaland announced five new landmarks: The Charleston Cigar Factory in South Carolina; The Furies Collective House in Washington, D.C.; The Lucy Diggs Slowe and Mary Burrill House in Washington, D.C.; Azurest South in Virginia; and The Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth House and Studios in New Mexico.
Additionally, a $500,000 grant from the Historic Preservation Fund will aid renovations at Seneca Falls Knitting Mill as part of expanding programming on women's history.
As directed by President Biden, a report on women's representation across national sites is being released by DOI. It evaluates current federal sites significant to women's history and suggests ways to improve recognition through programs like the National Historic Landmark program.
Since its inception by President Theodore Roosevelt with Devils Tower National Monument in 1906, 18 presidents have used the Antiquities Act for protection purposes. The Frances Perkins National Monument marks President Biden's 13th use of this authority.
