Today is the anniversary of the Federal Civil Service, which was created on 16 January 1883. It was an act created to regulate and improve the civil service of the United States.1
This anniversary holds personal significance for me. In 1948, my grandmother, Angelina “Angie” Campanile, worked as a bookkeeping machine operator for the State of Louisiana’s Division of Employment Security, headquartered near the state capital in Baton Rouge. War consumed the world during this time, and the US navigated rapid economic and social changes. My grandmother’s role represented more than just a job–it was a testament to the growing professional opportunities for women in government service.
As one could expect, that was a tumultuous era. Her work was likely hectic due to managing unemployment benefits, assisting displaced workers, and ensuring families could make it through the uncertainties of the wartime economy.
She worked a 40-hour workweek and likely earned an average weekly salary between $36.65 and $44.20. (See table below)
She was part of a broader group of countless civil servants who kept the country running behind the scenes. She paved the way for other women to be represented in fields traditionally dominated by men and exhibited resilience and adaptability in a world where women were still thought of as “less.”
Today, on the civil service’s 142nd birthday, I honor my grandmother’s legacy and the impact of all who have served in some capacity to help shape the communities we live in.
Do you have ancestors or relatives who worked in the civil service? Share their stories below—I’d love to hear how they contributed to shaping our shared history.
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Footnotes
- “Anniversary of the Federal Civil Service, Created Jan 16, 1883,” Fedvote.org, 2015, http://www.fedvote.org/Anniversary-of-the-Federal-Civil-Service–created-Jan-16–1883.html#:~:text=Anniversary%20of%20the%20Federal%20Civil%20Service%2C%20created%20Jan%2016%2C%201883.
- “U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995,” Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1948, entry for Angie M. Campanile, page 139; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 Jan 2025), image 89 of 656; digital images of Baton Rouge City Directory (Baton Rouge, Louisiana: R.L. Polk & Co., Publishers, 1948).
- “Women’s Bureau HANDBOOK of FACTS on Women Workers BULLETIN NO. 225 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of LABOR,” accessed January 17, 2025, https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/women/b0225_dolwb_1948.pdf.
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