Start Date

4-29-2014 9:00 AM

End Date

4-29-2014 10:15 AM

Disciplines

Labor History | United States History | Women's History

Subjects

Women -- Employment, United States -- History -- 20th century, World War, 1939-1945 -- Women -- United States, Women -- Employment -- History, Women in popular culture, Shipbuilding industry -- Women employees -- Oregon -- Portland

Abstract

The women workers of WWII are generally portrayed as strong, happy, independent women sporting colorful bandanas and cocky grins, yet this manicured Rosie-the-Riveter image is a far cry from capturing the experiences of the average woman laborer on the home front. An examination the Kaiser shipyards in Portland and Vancouver makes it evident that women workers faced a plethora of obstacles and stressors in the workplace, only to find themselves booted back into the position of housewife at the end of the war.

Notes

Winner of the Karen E. Hoppes Young Historians Award for Outstanding Research and Writing.

Rights

© Copyright the author(s)

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Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/11202

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Apr 29th, 9:00 AM Apr 29th, 10:15 AM

Riveting Rosie's Riveting Struggles: Women Shipyard Workers in WWII

The women workers of WWII are generally portrayed as strong, happy, independent women sporting colorful bandanas and cocky grins, yet this manicured Rosie-the-Riveter image is a far cry from capturing the experiences of the average woman laborer on the home front. An examination the Kaiser shipyards in Portland and Vancouver makes it evident that women workers faced a plethora of obstacles and stressors in the workplace, only to find themselves booted back into the position of housewife at the end of the war.