Birthdate: June 26, 1883
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Glenham, New York, United States
Died: June 8, 1972
Mary Van Kleeck was a prominent American social scientist known for her contributions to the labor movement and advocacy for scientific management. Her career began with research on women’s labor in New York City and later led to her role as the director of the Russell Sage Foundation’s Department of Industrial Studies. During World War I, she played a crucial role in establishing workplace standards for women entering the workforce and became the first woman to hold a position of authority in the American federal government. Van Kleeck continued her work on labor issues, supporting women in the workforce and later embracing socialism to promote centralized planning of economies for the protection of labor rights. She was a vocal critic of the New Deal and American capitalism during the Great Depression, even running for the New York State Senate with the American Labor Party. In her later years, she shifted her focus to peace activism and nuclear disarmament, advocating for Soviet-American friendship despite facing opposition from anti-communist groups. Van Kleeck dedicated over 30 years to the Russell Sage Foundation before retiring in 1948.
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