Women's
place
in the workforce was radically
changed by the second
World War (1939-1945).
New popular images in
propaganda, like 'Rosie
the Riveter' were used
to recruit women to fill
war-time defence jobs
which suffered from the
'man' power shortage caused
by the war.
Black
women, along with
older and married women
found exciting new opportunities
open to them for the first
time in non-traditional,
skilled and highly paid
jobs. The number
of women in heavy manufacturing
increased by 460%! Overnight
women were trained
to be shipbuilders, welders,
riveters and machine workers.
When the war came to an
end, new propaganda was
produced, which encouraged
women to leave the workforce
so the returning soldiers
could resume their old
jobs. Although 80%
of the women wanted to
keep their skilled jobs
they were laid off in
great numbers and many
of the 'Rosies' who stayed
in the workforce
were forced to return
to their traditional unskilled
positions.
