History Alive is a program of first-person portrayals of historical figures by presenters who have conducted scholarly research on their character. As the first female Cabinet member and U.S. Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins had a far-reaching, lasting impact on American workers’ lives, and helped pave the way for women to enter the male-dominated world of national politics. Perkins started out as a young social reformer in New York City, but embarked on a more ambitious quest for change after witnessing the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911, which killed nearly 150 workers. As a member of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Cabinet in the 1930s and 1940s, Perkins relentlessly fought for and facilitated many of the New Deal programs which helped the nation weather the Great Depression. Known as the “Mother of Social Security,” Perkins’ legacy lives on through child labor laws, unemployment insurance, minimum wage, the 40-hour work week, worker’s compensation, and workplace safety laws.