Press Releases

Today, Maine First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree led 42 Members of Congress in urging President Joe Biden to designate the Frances Perkins Homestead in Newcastle as a national monument.

“Frances Perkins, who made her home in Maine, was a trailblazer, the first female presidential cabinet member, the mother of the modern labor movement, and a pioneering advocate for social justice, economic security, and labor rights,” the Members wrote. 

“By designating the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historical Landmark as a national monument, more people will learn about this incredible woman and about the power of government to be a force for good,” they continued. “[...] Frances Perkins is a beacon for our better selves and the progress that can be made when the good of the people comes first. A national monument is a fitting tribute to such ideas and to Frances Perkins, who helped to turn them into action.”

The full letter is available here and copied below.

“I am humbled and honored to witness the growing support for a national monument designation for Frances Perkins. We are all beneficiaries of her decades of public service and her tireless commitment to working people,” said Giovanna Gray Lockhart, Executive Director of the Frances Perkins Center. “Thank you to the members of Congress who support this designation and now that this newest National Park site will help millions more people learn and be inspired by one of our country’s most effective leaders.”

Background:

Frances Perkins, the first female cabinet member and longest-serving Labor Secretary, is credited as an architect of the New Deal and other programs that Americans continue to benefit from today, such as unemployment insurance and Social Security. Throughout her life, Perkins considered Newcastle and the 57-acre homestead along the Damariscotta River as her home. 

Founded in in 2009,  the Frances Perkins Center achieved designation of the Frances Perkins Homestead as a National Historic Landmark by the United States Secretary of the Interior in 2014. The Frances Perkins Homestead is one of less than 8% of the 93,000 National Register of Historic Places sites across the country that represent the stories of women and Americans of color.

Under the Antiquities Act of 1906, presidents have the authority to proclaim new national monuments. Such a designation for the Frances Perkins Homestead would also further the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal under Executive Order 14121, which empowers the National Park Service to more fully recognize the contributions women have made to our country.

In August, Pingree joined Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in Newcastle to visit the Frances Perkins Homestead, where they met with local leaders and stakeholders to learn more about the site’s history and legacy. 

+++

Dear President Biden,

We write to request that you use your authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to issue a proclamation designating the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historical Landmark as a national monument, thus safeguarding the legacy of one of the most influential women in modern American history.

Frances Perkins, who made her home in Maine, was a trailblazer, the first female presidential cabinet member, the mother of the modern labor movement, and a pioneering advocate for social justice, economic security, and labor rights. In her role as Secretary of Labor, she was principal architect of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and developed many of its foundational policies, including the 40-hour workweek, unemployment insurance, and the minimum wage.

She also chaired the commission that created the Social Security program, which was signed into law by President Roosevelt on Aug. 14, 1935. For 89 years, the American people have depended on Social Security. No program in American history has been more successful or done more to lift seniors out of poverty, establish a financial safety net for people with disabilities, and safeguard the well-being of children. Social Security has allowed Americans to retain their independence and their dignity.

The Perkins family first settled in Newcastle, Maine in the 1750s, where several generations farmed the land and operated a brickyard along the Damariscotta River. Frances spent formative years of her life there and always considered it her home. The Frances Perkins Center, now located at the Homestead, has long worked to shine a light on her legacy and is the only place fully dedicated to telling the story of a remarkable national icon. There, visitors can learn about a groundbreaking woman who broke through gender barriers to improve the lives of working people across the country.

By designating the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historical Landmark as a national monument, more people will learn about this incredible woman and about the power of government to be a force for good.

Establishing this national monument would further contribute to the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal under Executive Order 14121 to strengthen the National Park Service’s recognition of the role of women who have contributed to our country’s history. Frances Perkins is a beacon for our better selves and the progress that can be made when the good of the people comes first. A national monument is a fitting tribute to such ideas and to Frances Perkins, who helped to turn them into action.

Thank you for your leadership and consideration of this request. We look forward to working with you to permanently conserve the only place fully dedicated to sharing the story of the pioneering Frances Perkins.

Sincerely,

###