Women in War Industries: World War II

Norman Rockwell Rosie the Riveter, 1943. Cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, published on May 29, 1943.

Norman Rockwell Rosie the Riveter, 1943. Cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, published on May 29, 1943.

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "A girl at the Fafnir Bearing Company testing bomb shackles."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "A girl at the Fafnir Bearing Company testing bomb shackles."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "An inspector at the Fafnir Bearing Company inspecting large roller bearing which will probably end up in an Army tank" Fafnir Bearing Co. made bearings for the U.S. Military across all branches, to be used in sh

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "An inspector at the Fafnir Bearing Company inspecting large roller bearing which will probably end up in an Army tank" Fafnir Bearing Co. made bearings for the U.S. Military across all branches, to be used in ships, tanks, aircraft, and more.

Photograph of women inspecting canteens c. 1943-1945 at Landers, Frary & Clark. Pictured, left to right: Mrs. Ottilia Freberg nee Bjorklund and Mrs. Bjorklund nee Freberg. Mrs. Bjorklund was a Gold Star Mother; her son Earl, a radio gunner, was kill

Photograph of women inspecting canteens c. 1943-1945 at Landers, Frary & Clark. Pictured, left to right: Mrs. Ottilia Freberg nee Bjorklund and Mrs. Bjorklund nee Freberg. Mrs. Bjorklund was a Gold Star Mother; her son Earl, a radio gunner, was killed in an air raid on the Romanian Oil fields.

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Miss Ann Kolodziez, Polish, twenty-two years old, employed at the Fafnir Bearing Company as a bearing inspector."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Miss Ann Kolodziez, Polish, twenty-two years old, employed at the Fafnir Bearing Company as a bearing inspector."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Mrs. Antoinette Jamroz, Polish, mother of three children, employed at the Fafnir Bearing Company, matching and sizing bearing rings."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Mrs. Antoinette Jamroz, Polish, mother of three children, employed at the Fafnir Bearing Company, matching and sizing bearing rings."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women at the Landers, Frary and Clark plant. Processing cores, to be used by the Army for making molds for meat choppers."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women at the Landers, Frary and Clark plant. Processing cores, to be used by the Army for making molds for meat choppers."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women employed at the Landers, Frary and Clark plant. Testing a new anti-aircraft gun. This girl's job is to inspect guns and their mounts."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women employed at the Landers, Frary and Clark plant. Testing a new anti-aircraft gun. This girl's job is to inspect guns and their mounts."

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women employed at Landers, Frary and Clark plant. A shuttle driver"

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women employed at Landers, Frary and Clark plant. A shuttle driver"

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women welders at the Landers, Frary, and Clark plant." While thousands of American women flocked into factories, women of color still struggled with racism. Factories were highly resistant to hiring black women,

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women welders at the Landers, Frary, and Clark plant." While thousands of American women flocked into factories, women of color still struggled with racism. Factories were highly resistant to hiring black women, and many hired only white women and men until then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802 banning racial discrimination in the defense industry. (Randle, Aaron. “'Black Rosies': The Forgotten African American Heroines of the WWII Homefront.” 10 Nov. 2020)

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women workers "checking in" at the Fafnir Bearing Company"

Gordon Parks, Photographer June, 1943 "Women workers "checking in" at the Fafnir Bearing Company"

Hulda Knight, forelady and laboratory technician at North & Judd is greeted by General Rowe during a government inspection after the presentation of the Army-Navy "E"Award. Originally published by Anchor News, North & Judd's company newsletter. April

Hulda Knight, forelady and laboratory technician at North & Judd is greeted by General Rowe during a government inspection after the presentation of the Army-Navy "E"Award. Originally published by Anchor News, North & Judd's company newsletter. April 3, 1945.

Major Rey observes welding being done by Leonore Allen at the Noth & Judd factory. Anchor News, April 3, 1945. Of the 1 million African Americans who entered paid service for the first time following E.O. 8802’s signing, 600,000 were women. (Randle,

Major Rey observes welding being done by Leonore Allen at the Noth & Judd factory. Anchor News, April 3, 1945. Of the 1 million African Americans who entered paid service for the first time following E.O. 8802’s signing, 600,000 were women. (Randle, "Black Rosies" 2020)

Employees of the North & Judd main office and order department bid General Rowe farewell after the award ceremony and factory inspection. Anchor News, April 3, 1945.

Employees of the North & Judd main office and order department bid General Rowe farewell after the award ceremony and factory inspection. Anchor News, April 3, 1945.

Another poster from the same series as the famous "We Can Do It!" image, invoking the memory and history of American women doing their part during wartime. Illustration of a colonial woman loading a musket and a contemporary woman in coveralls and a

Another poster from the same series as the famous "We Can Do It!" image, invoking the memory and history of American women doing their part during wartime. Illustration of a colonial woman loading a musket and a contemporary woman in coveralls and a red bandana riveting a piece of war equipment. with text reading "It's a tradition with us, mister!" Howard J. Miller, c. 1941-1945.