It was 115 years ago today when Frances Perkins witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in Greenwich Village, one of the worst industrial accidents in U.S. history that claimed 146 lives, a tragedy that changed Perkins and changed America.
She became one the most influential, inspirational, and underrecognized female leaders in our history. The first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet, she was secretary of labor for 12 years under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and played a central role in shaping the New Deal — yet many still do not know her by name.
Raised in Massachusetts by parents from Maine, Perkins’ impact continues to define the American workforce today. She helped establish Social Security, modern workplace safety standards, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, which introduced minimum wages, limited working hours, and guaranteed overtime pay. Without her, even the concept of a “weekend” might not exist.
Perkins advocated for the rights of workers throughout her career, a priority grounded in lived experience that illuminated the need for reform. On that Saturday, 115 years ago today, Perkins saw the workers (most of them young women and immigrants) jumping to their deaths from the upper floors of the 10-story Triangle Shirtwaist Co. building, in desperation and panic when they realized the factory exits were locked and the single fire escape was inoperable.
She later recalled the profound sense of public guilt that followed, and the collective determination by citizens and leaders alike to prevent such a disaster from ever occurring again.
Soon after the fire, Perkins was named executive secretary of New York’s Committee on Safety, leading inspections of factories and work sites across the state. Her efforts in New York, and later in Washington, helped establish industrial fire and safety standards, restrictions on child labor, compensation for injured workers, and other essential reforms.
Today’s anniversary of the fire is a reminder that tragedy can spur meaningful change. Perkins dedicated her career to supporting everyday working Americans through policies that still impact us today. Her other crowning achievement, Social Security, provides a vital financial safety net for more than 23 million adults and children. These benefits lift people across the country above the poverty line — a testament to her enduring legacy.
Perkins once described her work as a fight for the “forgotten, plain, common workingmen,” at a time when women were rarely expected to earn a living, let alone lead national reform. As executive director of the Frances Perkins Center, I have the privilege of drawing daily inspiration from her at her family’s homestead in Newcastle, Maine, which was designated the Frances Perkins National Monument in 2024.
March is Women’s History Month and this month Perkins will be inducted into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame, further recognizing the immense contributions of this iconic public servant and establishing her as a symbol of social change for future generations.
The national monument, like the anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and celebration of women’s history, illustrates the importance of remembering our past as we strive for a better future — and teaches future leaders that the hard work and perseverance of one person can improve the lives of millions. Perkins created change through action, proving that progress is always possible.
This month and beyond, let’s continue Frances Perkins’ invitation to “contribute some small part to a program of human betterment,” one action at a time.
Hatch is executive director of the Frances Perkins Center in Newcastle, Maine.