Frances Perkins Center

Frances Perkins Center
Name	Frances Perkins Center
Established	1998
Location	Danziger, Springfield, Massachusetts
Type	Museum, Historic house

Frances Perkins Center The Frances Perkins Center preserves the legacy of Frances Perkins, the U.S. Secretary of Labor under Franklin D. Roosevelt and architect of the New Deal labor reforms. The Center interprets Perkins's role in landmark legislation such as the Social Security Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps while connecting her life to institutions like Cornell University, Columbia University, and the Industrial Workers of the World. The site serves scholars, students, and the public through exhibitions, archives, and programs that link Perkins to figures including Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry Hopkins, John L. Lewis, and Harry S. Truman.

History

The property dates to Perkins's residence after her tenure in the Roosevelt administration and reflects connections to her earlier life in Boston, Worcester, Massachusetts, and service during events such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the rise of the Progressive Era. Following Perkins's death, preservation efforts involved local partners, state agencies like the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and national organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Center opened as a museum and research facility amid collaborations with scholars of the New Deal, labor historians linked to the American Labor Movement, and archives specialists from institutions like the Library of Congress and the Schlesinger Library.

Collections and Exhibits

Collections include Perkins's personal papers, correspondence with figures such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Frances Perkins contemporaries like Sidney Hillman and A. Philip Randolph, and materials related to legislation such as the Social Security Act and the National Labor Relations Act. Exhibits feature objects tied to events including the Great Depression, the formation of the Works Progress Administration, and the evolution of labor law alongside artifacts from unions like the United Mine Workers of America and documents referencing leaders such as Samuel Gompers. Rotating installations have explored themes connected to institutions like the U.S. Department of Labor, the Congressional Research Service, and academic centers at Harvard University and Yale University.

Education and Public Programs

Educational programming partners with universities including University of Massachusetts Amherst, Smith College, and Amherst College and professional groups such as the American Historical Association, the Labor and Employment Relations Association, and the National Education Association. Programs range from teacher workshops tied to curricula on the New Deal and labor rights to public lectures featuring historians of figures like Fairleigh Dickinson University scholars and authors who studied Perkins's contemporaries including Al Smith and Huey Long. Youth outreach has coordinated with local schools in Hampden County, Massachusetts and nonprofit organizations like the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities.

Building and Grounds

The Center preserves a historic house and landscape reflecting Perkins's domestic life and public career, situated in a neighborhood with connections to regional sites such as the Springfield Armory and cultural institutions like the Merrick Public Library. Architectural features align with preservation standards promoted by the National Park Service and the Society of American Archivists, and grounds maintenance has engaged landscape historians who study estates comparable to those of figures like Jacob Riis and Jane Addams. Conservation projects have used partners including the Historic New England network and grants from state arts agencies.

Governance and Funding

The Center is overseen by a board drawing leaders from educational institutions such as Elms College and Western New England University, archives professionals from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and civic leaders connected to organizations like the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. Funding combines private philanthropy from foundations similar to the Ford Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation with support from state arts councils and grants administered by entities such as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Visits and Visitor Information

Visitors engage with exhibits, research services, and public events; the site coordinates tours for groups affiliated with museums like the American Museum of Natural History and academic delegations from Columbia University School of Social Work and Brown University. Accessibility and scheduling follow guidelines referenced by the Americans with Disabilities Act and local tourism promotion via the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Prospective visitors typically contact the Center to arrange appointments for archival research, group tours, and educational programs tied to Perkins-related anniversaries such as observances of the New Deal Coalition and notable dates in Perkins's life.

Category:Biographical museums in Massachusetts Category:Historic house museums in Massachusetts