McMenamins History, Deschutes Historical Museum and Oregon Historical Society present…

Old St. Francis History Pub

Do you remember your first minimum wage job? In 1913, Caroline Gleason, later known as Sister Miriam Theresa, worked in Portland factories, surveyed working women across Oregon, and helped craft the nation’s first compulsory minimum wage law. Although that first version only applied to women and minors, Gleason’s work laid the foundation for the Fair Labor and Standards Act of 1938, and the minimum wage rates in place today.

Janice Dilg is an independent historian from Portland, Oregon. She holds a MA in history from Portland State University, and her research interests focus on women and labor in the Pacific Northwest during the early 20th century. She is the Project Director for the Century of Action: Oregon Women Vote, 1912-2012, the Oregon Woman Suffrage Centennial. Her public history projects include: coordinating the oral history project for the US District Court of Oregon Historical Society, teaching Monumental Women, a Senior Capstone course at Portland State University that highlights women’s civic contributions to the city of Portland. Student’s work from Monumental Women becomes part of the Women City Builder’s website and the educational kiosk on the Walk of the Heroines. Dilg’s article in the 2009 spring issue of the Oregon Historical Quarterly: “For Working Women in Oregon”: Caroline Gleason/Sister Miriam Theresa and Oregon’s Minimum Wage Law,” is part of that publication’s Statehood Sesquicentennial Series.

About Old St. Francis History Pub
These monthly, free events are open to everyone interested in Oregon and Pacific Northwest history. Co-sponsored by like-minded historical and civic organizations, we bring you experts, scholars, first-person experiencers and historians who expound on topics from Lewis and Clark to shipwrecks, hop growing to women pioneers and far, far beyond. It’s like being back in the classroom – except this time you get to settle into comfortable seats and enjoy a drink or two with dinner while you listen and learn.