Women's History Month Profiles: Virginia Payne

This year, for Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women’s history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today’s profile is Virginia Payne of SAG-AFTRA.

Radio star Virginia Payne is best known for playing the title character of “Ma Perkins” for 27 years in the long-running radio soap opera. A founding member of the American Federation of Radio Artists (now SAG-AFTRA) in 1937, she served as president of the Chicago and New York locals before becoming the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ (AFTRA’s) first woman national president in 1959. She remained an AFTRA national board member until her death in 1977.