Becoming Madam Secretary

Becoming Madam Secretary is set against the backdrop of early- to mid-20th-century America, a period of significant social, economic, and political transformation. The story begins in the Progressive Era (1890s-1920s), a period characterized by widespread social activism and political reform. This era saw the rise of women’s suffrage movements, labor rights advocacy, and efforts to address urban poverty and corruption. Frances Perkins’s early career as a social worker and labor rights advocate is firmly rooted in this progressive tradition.

The labor movement and the struggle for workers’ rights form another crucial context for the novel. Events like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 galvanized public opinion and led to significant reforms in labor laws. The novel depicts the ongoing tensions between workers, employers, and the government, reflecting the real historical struggles of the American labor movement. Additionally, the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 granted women the right to vote, but women still faced significant barriers in professional and political spheres. Frances’s appointment as cabinet member in 1933 was groundbreaking and emblematic of the gradual progress being made in women’s rights, as she was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet in the United States. This occurred just 13 years after women gained the right to vote nationally.

The novel spans the aftermath of World War I, the Roaring Twenties, and the Great Depression. The 1920s were marked by economic prosperity, cultural dynamism, and changing social norms, particularly for women. However, this period of growth was followed by the stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent Great Depression, which forms a crucial backdrop for much of the novel’s action. Unemployment reached 25% by 1933, creating unprecedented economic hardship and social unrest. The New Deal, introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression, is a central element of the novel’s historical context. This series of programs, financial reforms, and public works projects aimed to provide relief, recovery, and reform to the American economy. Frances’s role in shaping and implementing these policies, particularly the Social Security Act, is a key focus of the novel.

The rise of fascism in Europe, particularly in Nazi Germany, is another important historical context. The novel touches on the refugee crisis caused by Nazi persecution, reflecting the complex international dynamics of the 1930s and the challenges faced by those seeking to aid refugees in the face of isolationist sentiment in the United States. Finally, the Epilogue, set in 1963, places Frances’s career in the context of the early 1960s, a time of renewed social activism and the beginning of Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society programs, which built upon many of the foundations laid by the New Deal.