The Frances Perkins Room
in Crossroads

The artwork in this room reflects the importance of hospitality, education, and social justice ministry at St. Peter’s. In Jesus’ name, all are welcome here.

The Frances Perkins Room is given in loving memory of Charlotte Roy-Guido.

From the artist: I made this poster in tribute to the lives of Representative John Lewis and Murphy Davis of The Open Door Community, who chose Psalm 23 for the cover of her book, “Surely Goodness and Mercy.”

“You are a light. You are the light. Never let anyone—any person or any force—dampen, dim or diminish your light. Study the path of others to make your way easier and more abundant. Lean towards the whispers of your own heart, discover the universal truth, and follow its dictates. Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle to overcome evil is already won.”

“Choose confrontation wisely, but when it is your time don’t be afraid to stand up, and speak up, and speak out against injustice. And if you follow your truth down the road to peace and the affirmation of love, if you shine like a beacon for all to see, then the poetry of all the great dreamers and philosophers is yours to manifest in a nation, a world community, a beloved community that is finally at peace with itself.” —John Lewis, Across that Bridge (2012)

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” —Psalm 23

From the artist:
Frances Perkins (born Fannie Coralie Perkins; April 10, 1880–May 14, 1965) was an American workers-rights advocate who served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, the longest serving in that position. She made history as the first woman to serve in any presidential U.S. Cabinet. As a loyal supporter of her longtime friend, Franklin D. Roosevelt, she helped make labor issues important in the emerging New Deal coalition. She was one of two Roosevelt cabinet members to remain in office for his entire presidency which took place during the depths of the Great Depression and World War II. Her most important role came in developing a policy for Social Security in 1935. She also helped form governmental policy for working with labor unions, although the union leaders distrusted her. Her Labor Department helped to alleviate strikes by way of the United States Conciliation Service. –Wikipedia

Like many people at the time, Perkins was moved to work even harder for workers’ rights after the Triangle Shirt Waist Factory fire of 1911. She witnessed the fire herself because she had been at lunch with a friend nearby. She watched in horror as people threw themselve out of windows to die on the pavement to avoid perishing in the fire. After the fire she worked as a workplace inspector for the State of New York. Many of the workplace safety laws of New York became the blueprint for Federal safety laws.

From Wikipedia: “The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on March 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city, and one of the deadliest in U.S. history.The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers—123 women and girls and 23 men—who died from the fire, smoke inhalation, or falling or jumping to their deaths. Most of the victims were recent Italian or Jewish immigrant women and girls aged 14 to 23.... Because the doors to the stairwells and exits were locked—a common practice at the time to prevent workers from taking unauthorized breaks and to reduce theft—many of the workers could not escape from the burning building and jumped from the high windows. The fire led to legislation requiring improved factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union.”

According to the biography by Kirstin Downey, Frances only accepted the post of Labor Secretary once Roosevelt agreed to back her in her goals to enact the Federal initiatives she had sketched out. She brought a list to her meeting with the recently elected President. These were: general relief from the unemployment crisis through a temporary public works program; prohibiting child labor; reduction in working hours; a minimum wage; worker’s compensation for workplace injury; workplace safety regulations; national unemployment insurance; and an old age pension (Social Security). These goals seemed foolishly ambitious at the time, but Frances had plans for how to get nay-sayers to collaborate. She wanted FDR’s agreement that she could at least study how these policies could work while avoiding the worst pitfalls. “Are you sure you want this done, because you don’t want me for Secretary of Labor if you don’t want these things done.” He agreed. Through her amazing social skills and canny understanding of the powerful men around her, she did it. She did those things. FDR had faith in her, amazingly. The misogyny she had to deal with was absolutely monumental, and the pressure made it impossible for FDR to keep supporting her later on, and her authority and power was undermined through countless hurtful things. Still, lifted up by a foundation of Christian faith—a radical love for humanity—she rallied the powerful to her cause and she did those things.

DESIGN NOTE : I got some inspiration from 1930s graphic design. The background image is from a newspaper article from the NY Evening Telegram of March 27th, 1911. It recounts the heroism of Fannie Lansner, who was credited with saving many lives before she jumped to her death from the Triangle Factory. This page is overlaid with the circle and triangle logo of the notorious factory. The colors in this design are inspired by paint colors of the houses of New England, because Perkins was from Maine.