The most powerful symbol of women’s endurance and empowerment is the “Rosie the Riveter” poster was commissioned in the 1940’s by Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company. Rather than flexing her muscles, Rosie is rolling her sleeves up to get the job done!
The model for the Rosie the Riveter poster has been disputed. The most credible woman was a California waitress named Naomi Parker Fraley. She worked in a Navy machine shop during World War II. Ms. Fraley passed away in 2018 at the age of 96. No matter the person, Rosie became a symbol for nearly 6 million women in the United States who replaced men in the workforce during World War II, the pose of strength and readiness extends beyond the moment in the 1940’s.
The image was a clarion call during World War II to recruit women to serve in the military and work in factories that produced munitions and war supplies. History shows that millions answered the call. In addition to white women – armed services and factories employed women of Chinese, Hispanic, and Native American descent. Japanese and Korean women from Hawaii joined the Japanese military unit beginning in 1943. Most mainland Japanese were interned during the war and were unable to serve or work. And though African American women played a vital role throughout the war, they were relegated to serve and work in segregated troops and areas of factories.
“Rosie the Riveter” is an enduring symbol for women’s empowerment in the workforce and for women’s strides in every field and a show of strength used for equality protests and movements around the world and an expression for achieving societal inclusiveness, bravery, and global sisterhood.
By Connie Portis
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