Industry

First Female Cabinet Member
On February 28, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Frances Perkins as head of the Department of Labor, making her the first woman to serve on a presidential cabinet.

First Major Commercial Oil Well in the U.S.
On August 27, 1859, Edwin Drake struck oil near Titusville, Pennsylvania, establishing America’s first commercially viable oil well.

Birth of Samuel Gompers
American labor union leader Samuel Gompers was born on January 27, 1850, in London, England.

First Major Commercial Oil Well in U.S.
On August 27, 1859, Edwin Drake struck oil near Titusville, Pennsylvania, establishing America’s first commercially viable oil well.