03/21/2026
Thank you, Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, for this information!
"To celebrate Rosie the Riveter Day, we honor the thousands of determined and hard-working Black Rosies who fought discrimination to serve and support our country.
During World War II, U.S. industries faced a shortage of manpower, and encouraged women to enter the industrial workforce to meet the material demands of war. Rosie the Riveter represented these women's strength, hard-working attitude, and resilience. But when millions of women went to join the workforce, the 600,000 African American women faced disproportionate opposition.
Most African American women could only find work in domestic roles or as sharecroppers, and working in a factory would be an economic step up. Unfortunately, African American women were frequently rejected by employers, who would go great lengths to avoid hiring them. Activists and protesters eventually pushed President Roosevelt to sign Executive Order 8802 in 1941, outlawing discrimination in the defense program.
The majority of these women, known as “Black Rosies,” would not find industrial work until 1944, as companies would only hire them when there was no one else to hire. Black Rosies faced reduced pay and fewer promotions than their white counterparts, and were frequently barred from joining or participating in unions. Yet these women took immense pride in their work. Ruth Wilson, a Black Rosie, said about her experience in the workforce: “It was work that you were proud of…It made me feel good because my husband was over there in Europe fighting, and here I was doing my part. Plus, I made more money!”
📸 National Archives at College Park, E.F. Joseph, Alfred T. Palmer"
