Then, Now Next: U.S. Department of Labor's Centennial
March 4, 1913, marked a milestone event in the history of the American workforce. On that day, President William Howard Taft — on his last day in office — reluctantly signed legislation creating the U.S. Department of Labor and giving workers a direct seat in the President's Cabinet for the first time.
Observance of our centennial actually got underway last year, with the production of a centennial video, an interactive timeline, a series of historical posters and collection a of historical vignettes in our DOL newsletter — all designed to educate, inform and inspire the public about our rich history.
Did You Miss Any Events?
Not to worry. We will keep you posted on all of our events both past and future. Come back often to see what you may have missed.
- Bloomberg's Story on the Women's Bureau's Esther Peterson: "A Pioneer's Unfinished Struggle to Give Women Equal Pay" — [04/10/2013]
- On what would have been her 133rd birthday, MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell honors Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, the architect of Social Security.
- (PART ONE) — [04/10/2013]
- (PART TWO) — [04/11/2013]
- A special DOL Centennial moment from the game show Jeopardy — [03/28/2013]
- Labor's Birthday Consolation Gift: Labor's Saint Celebrated — [03/28/2013]
- Carl Fillichio, senior adviser for Public Affairs and Communications at the Labor Department, joined Federal News Radio with a look at Labor's past, present and future. — [03/07/2013]
- 20th Anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act — [02/05/2013]
- Cornell University Academic Symposium at the Department of Labor — [11/9/2012]
THEN
President Woodrow Wilson, American Federation of Labor founder Samuel Gompers and William Wilson, the first U.S. Secretary of Labor
A Brief History
The organic act establishing the Department of Labor was signed on March 4, 1913, by a reluctant President William Howard Taft, the defeated and departing incumbent, just hours before Woodrow Wilson took office. A Federal Department of Labor was the direct product of a half-century campaign by organized labor for a "Voice in the Cabinet," and an indirect product of the Progressive Movement. In the words of the organic act, the Department's purpose is "to foster, promote and develop the welfare of working people, to improve their working conditions, and to enhance their opportunities for profitable employment."
Initially the Department consisted of the new U.S. Conciliation Service (USCS), which mediated labor disputes, plus four pre-existing bureaus: the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Bureau of Immigration, the Bureau of Naturalization and the Children's Bureau. Woodrow Wilson's appointee as Secretary of Labor was Scottish-born Congressman William B. Wilson (1913-1921), a founder and former Secretary-Treasurer of the United Mine Workers of America [...]
From Our Archives
Our Centennial Video
One hundred years of struggle, perseverance and triumph are documented in this six-minute film dedicated to the hard-won achievements of working people and the way that the Labor Department has worked to fulfill its mission in a rapidly changing world.
Narrated with the expressive baritone of film and television actor Luis Avalos, the video takes the viewer on a voyage to the past and provides a glimpse of the people and events that forged the many freedoms and protections that workers cherish today.
Our Historical Timeline
Take a journey through the decades with the Department of Labor's interactive historical timeline. This visually innovative educational tool presents information about key milestones over a century of progress for the rights and protections of working people, providing insights into the people and stories that changed the way we work in America for the better. Beginning with the First Annual Report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 1884 and culminating with the Affordable Care Act of 2010, the timeline guides you through the upheavals and advancements of a tumultuous century.
The timeline will be updated continuously throughout the Labor Department's centennial year with new moments and new breakthroughs that tell the department's story. You can contribute to this living document by submitting your own suggestions for new entries. Send your ideas to us at webmaster@dol.gov.
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NOW
The U.S. Department of Labor continues to undertake a broad range of initiatives to advance its mission. In this section, you can get to know some of the department's dedicated professionals and learn more about our current objectives by following up-to-the-minute updates from the department. A diverse group of agencies with functions designed to implement the provisions of dozens of employment laws combine urgent enforcement or employment assistance activities with long-term planning and policy development to support working families and respond to the needs of our nation's communities.
Our Mission and Our People
Your Work is Our Work
Our people are standing strong for workers in every corner of the country, hitting the road and pitching in where we're needed most. Workers are our business, and we are determined to serve you each and every day. These are just a few of the stories of Labor Department employees — in their own words — that express our tireless commitment to protecting and defending our most valuable national resource: you. Select the photos above to view the 'Workers are My Business' video series.
(WORK IN PROGRESS) Blog
- No Limits for Wounded Veterans
Earlier this month, I had the honor of attending the Opening Ceremonies of the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Warrior Games are an annual event in which injured, ill or disabled veterans from the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marines, Special Operations Command and the British Armed Forces compete in Paralympics. From [...] - Take Three: Lifetime Income Illustrations
On May 7, the department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration announced an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on including lifetime income illustrations in the statements workers receive from their defined contribution retirement plans, such as 401(k) and 403(b) plans. The notice gives the public an opportunity for early input into the development of regulations. We checked [...] - Join the Conversation to Improve Transition from School to Work for Youth with Disabilities
Today’s young people must graduate from high school with the skills necessary to succeed in the 21st-century global economy. And that certainly includes youth with disabilities. To that end, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services are working closely [...] - VETS’ Kelly Heads “North to the Future” of Veterans Employment
Accepting the position of assistant secretary of labor for veterans’ training and employment brought me from Montana to Washington, D.C. This month, my new job took me from the district all the way to Alaska. You may not know it, but at approximately 10 percent, the percentage of Alaskans who are veterans is one of [...] - May 23 Webcast: Community College and Career Training Grants
Helping communities across the country develop a “skills infrastructure” will ensure workers are prepared for the fastest growing jobs of the future. The departments of Labor and Education are working together to help make this goal a reality through unprecedented investments to expand the training capacity of community colleges. Nearly $1 billion in grants already [...]
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Centennial Proclamations From President Obama and Around the Country
President Obama is marking the Labor Department's Centennial with a proclamation recognizing "the United States Department of Labor for upholding dignity in our workplaces and our way of life." He is joined by nearly 150 governors, mayors and elected officials from across the country — all issuing statements of appreciation for the profound impact that the Labor Department has made on the lives of our workers and our communities.
NEXT
A Vision for the Future
With our eyes fixed on tomorrow, the Labor Department continues to seek out new ways to meet the challenges of a new era and inspire the next century of progress for the American workforce. As we recognize 100 years of achievement, we also seek opportunities for reinvention and renewal, becoming a truly NEXT-centric organization. Here, you'll find a calendar of upcoming events that honor the past and lay the foundations for a more promising future — events like our recent commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act, where former President William Jefferson Clinton spoke of the profound benefits of the law for millions of families and the department announced important changes to the law that provide expanded protections for military families and workers in the airline industry. You can also experience our reimagined Labor Hall of Honor, a place where all of us can take inspiration from the achievements of those who came before us.
For centennial updates, follow #DOL100 on Twitter.
Technology Working for You
There is no doubt the original architects of the Labor Department would be astonished by the tools at our disposal today for providing services and enforcing our laws. They would never have dreamed, for example, that in an instant, from the factory floor or the fields, workers could access vital safety and health information or connect with workers on the other side of the world. We are living in an age of enormous possibility. The Labor Department is harnessing this possibility by developing digital tools with immediate practical benefits. Our mobile apps are empowering workers with the knowledge they need when they need it. We are embracing the ingenuity of the public through challenges that encourage the sharing of ideas to solve urgent problems. And we are assisting jobseekers and trainees by establishing networks that ease the pathways to opportunity.
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Our Public Challenge Winners
Online Resources for Jobseekers
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