Rosie the Riveter

Rosie the Riveter is an allegorical cultural icon in the United States.

She represents the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II. These women produced munitions and essential war supplies. Many took entirely new jobs to replace male workers who joined the military. This icon is widely recognized in the women's empowerment movement. Similar images of women workers appeared in other countries like Britain and Australia.

During the total wars of the 20th century, governments used their entire populations. This required millions of women to work in industry. World War II was similar to World War I in this regard. Massive conscription of men led to a shortage of available workers. This created a huge demand for labor that could only be filled by women. Nearly 19 million women held jobs during World War II. Only three million of these were new female workers entering the workforce.

Women stepped into positions traditionally held by men. They operated heavy construction machinery in lumber and steel mills. Some performed physical labor like unloading freight or building airships. At LaGuardia airfield, forty women worked in the repair and maintenance department. They performed service, repair, and overhaul on aircraft like the Boeing 314 Flying Boat.

To do this, they had to learn specific technical skills. They learned how to use a rivet gun and how holes were drilled. They also learned to use a buck bar and work as a team. Some women placed rivets into the nacelles, which are large aluminum rings covering engines.

The concept of Rosie the Riveter began with a song. Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb wrote the song in 1942. It became a national hit and was recorded by many artists. This included the big band leader Kay Kyser and the R&B group The Four Vagabonds. The song portrayed Rosie as a tireless assembly line worker. The government used the song, posters, and commercial advertising to encourage women to volunteer. A Hollywood film about Rosie was also released in 1944.

While many women took industrial jobs, they faced many challenges. Many workers were mothers who had to manage families. Some women pooled efforts to share cooking, cleaning, and washing. They shared apartments to save money and food. Some worked different shifts to take turns babysitting. The Lanham Act of 1940 created a federal child care system to support these women.

This was the first and only nearly universal federal child care system in the U.S. It ended six months after the war ended. Over six million women held war jobs. Black, Hispanic, white, and Asian women worked side by side. This process helped break down some social barriers regarding race and gender.

The identity of the "real" Rosie is a subject of debate. Candidates include Rosina "Rosie" Bonavita from San Diego. Another candidate is Rosalind P. Walter, who built the F4U Corsair fighter. Rose Will Monroe was a riveter at the Willow Run Aircraft Factory. She was selected to portray Rosie in a promotional film.

Monroe later obtained a pilot's license at age 50. The number of working women increased from 12 million to 20 million by 1944. This was a 57% increase from 1940. By 1944, 4.1 million unmarried women between ages 20 and 34 worked in defense.

After the war, the social landscape changed again. As men returned home, the government started a propaganda campaign. They urged women to "return to normalcy" and return to the home.

Some advertisements even suggested women would become "Rosie the Housewife." The overall percentage of women working fell from 36% to 28% in 1947. Many women moved into clerical or administrative positions. However, some women continued working in the factories. This experience provided a foundation for the contemporary women's movement. They proved they could do a "man's job" and do it well.