Ever heard of Frances Perkins? I had, over the decades, but never had a clear understanding of her as a person and a major political figure and force for (positive) change during the first half of the 20th century.
My awareness changed completely when I recently had the opportunity to take in an hour-long one-woman dramatization of her life and work presented at Northfield’s Dickenson Library. I took my curiosity and open-mindedness with me, met a few friends there, and proceeded to dig in and learn.
In the deft hands of retired UMass professor Dr. Jarice Hanson, the grand upstairs room was teleported to 1946 and Frances Perkins joined an SRO crowd for a full 90 minutes, in period costume and comportment. The one-night performance was supported by the Chautaqua Training Institute and funded both by the North Dakota Heritage Center and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dr. Hanson entitled her piece “Frances Perkins: A Woman’s Work.”
This was one of the most uplifting and extraordinary performances I have experienced in many years. Professor Hanson became Frances Perkins in every which way, and we all bore witness to a professional transformation, down to every imaginable detail. For a full hour, we heard Frances Perkins describe the multiple challenges she faced growing up and through her 12 years as the longest-ever serving Secretary of Labor — and the first and only woman in that prestigious role. She served alongside FDR during his four terms as President of the United States.
The sexism, antipathy, and misogyny that followed most of her steps and years would have been more than enough to break down and shut down most people. Not Ms. Perkins! She lived to serve our country and broke the proverbial glass ceiling as the first woman to serve on a Presidential Cabinet, only a few short years after women earned the right to vote in 1920. She pioneered some incredible achievements, which despite the “work” of the current administration, are still in existence today, closing in on 100 years later. Among them, the 40-hour work week, child labor laws, a minimum wage, unemployment insurance, workplace safety, and, perhaps most significantly, Social Security. She has been referred to as “The Woman who crafted the New Deal.”
Dr. Hanson’s script, acting, mannerisms, and emotionality were just brilliant. The energy in the room was palpable throughout, and there were many cascades of cheers, applause, and whooping it up as she recounted one successful experience and achievement after another — all with challenges that needed to be acknowledged, and beaten back despite the negativity that surrounded her as a woman leader before her time. This was a master class in experiential learning. Following the hour-long performance, Frances transformed back into Dr. Hanson and took an additional half-hour of questions and audience feedback. This was also brilliantly orchestrated.
The two-page program that was available offered us a deeper look into some of the quotes emanating from Ms. Perkins over the course of her lengthy career of service. Here are but a few:
The people are what matter to government and a government should aim to give all of the people under its jurisdiction the best possible life.
The accusation that I am a woman is incontrovertible. Being a woman has only bothered me in climbing trees.
I came to Washington to work for God, FDR, and the millions of forgotten, plain common workingmen.
How we could use this woman and her clear vision of a better, healthier, and saner society and a kinder world today! It is as spooky as it is regrettable that so many of the issues from those days and times are still with us — exacerbated by an administration that cares not a whit about commonfolk who form the overwhelming majority of our population in the U.S. at this time. Heartfulness and kindfulness are what came through so deeply and clearly. It became easy to see that we are in deep debt to Frances Perkins for all that she fought for and landed successfully. There are too few politicians today who ascribe to her ways of living, speaking, relating to others, and making good things happen.
As a change-agent on a national level, it was amply evident that this was an individual who was not afraid but instead stared down her fears by taking appropriate, bold, and adroit action in the face of it. Her courage struck me as something that is in short supply these days and we ought to treasure this when we see or hear or experience it. It is in no way easy to champion the needs of the under-served and those struggling to carve out a good living: many have paid the price, sacrificing their lives as martyrs to the cause of bringing hope and a better life to all. In Frances Perkins, I have found a person long gone who deserves to be further studied, even exalted. In point of fact, I learned through this performance that in 2009, sainthood was conferred on Frances Perkins by the Episcopal Church to which she belonged throughout her life, a recognition that perhaps no other government worker will ever receive.
Congratulations to Professor Hanson for her incredible performance, and all the hundreds of hours of research, interviewing, library- and government-document sleuthing that she had to do to create this piece. I was honored to be in her presence that evening and came away with something we are all sorely in need of: hope.
Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Ed.D., writes a regular column for the Recorder. He in an intercultural and developmental psychologist and writes about issues focused on human and civil rights, human values, and his ongoing commitment to create a better world for us all. Reach out to him at danielcyalowitz@gmail.com.