Becoming Madam Secretary
by Stephanie Dray
Historical Fiction, Extremely Well Researched (10/26/2023)
Becoming Madame Secretary is presented as a memoir written in the voice of Frances Perkins. Frances Perkins was the very first woman cabinet member selected by a President in our history. Franklin Delano Roosevelt named her Secretary of Labor for his first term in 1933. She held this position for of his four terms. She was a very determined woman who marshalled the Social Security Act and many other New Deal government programs to aid the citizens through the Depression and forward.
The story begins in 1909 when Frances moves to New York City after graduating from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School with a Masters in Economics. She began with a fellowship with New York School of Philanthropy investigating childhood malnutrition with children in Hell’s Kitchen. The story follows her career through her activities in New York City, NY state politics in Albany with Governor Al Smith during his four terms as his labor advisor to becoming the Secretary of the Department of Labor with her successes into 1935.
It is not dry history, but a well rounded personal and professional look of Miss Perkins with relationships with her mentors, family and friends with believable dialogue. If you are a history buff and have read and enjoyed David McCullough books on historical subjects and persons, or political tomes by Doris Kearns Goodwin. You will not be disappointed by this author’s wordsmithing abilities.
The epilogue clearing states which of Frances Perkins’ activities are completely true, and which are enhanced by the author for continuity and dialogue. Frances Perkins continued her activities in a variety of ways including writing the book “The Roosevelt I Knew” and published in the year after FDR’s death. Frances left her oral history at Columbia University, was appointed by President Truman as US Civil Service Commission until 1953. She then began a new career of teaching, writing and public lectures and serving as lecturer at Cornell University’s new School of Industrial Relation.
For more information there is now a website for The Frances Perkins Center: francesperkinscenter.org
