Women's Evolving Roles in American

Society During World War IIHIS 311

By Katie Boehm

Prior to World War II, women spent most of their

time working in the home and taking care of the

children. Women who held jobs outside of the home

usually worked as teachers, nurses, or secretaries.

Although World War I saw an increase in women

doing work that was primarily reserved for skilled

men, it was World War II that saw a much larger

amount of women taking on jobs in a much wider

array of fields. World War II placed much demand on

the American economy and it was the women who

were called to action on the production line since

most of the men were off fighting in the war. Women

found lots of work in the aviation industry and were

involved in every aspect of making planes, including

piloting them. There are many pictures, drawings,

and paintings that reflect how women's roles in

American society changed during the period of

World War II.

“Women Aviation Workers under Hair Dryers in Beauty Salon, North American Aviation's Woodworth Plant” by Charles E. Steinheimer, 1942

Photographic print: Steinheimer

“Lathe operator machining parts for transport planes at the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation plant, Fort Worth, Texas” by Howard R. Hollem, 1942

Photographic print: Hollem

“Rosie the Riveter Safety Bra”, by Anonymous, 1943

Photographic print: Anonymous

“Lightning Lady” by Stan Vosburg

Oil painting: Vosburg

“Painting the American insignia on airplane wings is a job that Mrs. Irma Lee McElroy, a former office worker, does with precision and patriotic zeal. Naval Air Base, Corpus

Christi, Texas” by Howard R. Hollem, 1942

Photographic print: Hollem

“Rosie to the Rescue” by Norman Rockwell, 1943

Drawing: Rockwell

Conclusion The United States experienced radical changes in the 1940s as a result

of World War II. With men off to war, it was the women who became

responsible for managing the workforces on the home front. They

worked jobs that had previously never been open to them in such

quantities. The mass hiring of women during World War II allowed

women to put their skills to work and allowed them to become

proficient in trades that they were learning for the first time. The

concept of ‘women’s work versus men’s work’ was completely

disregarded during World War II and huge recruitment campaigns

attempted to get women to help keep their country’s economy on the

right track. By ceasing to discriminate by gender, factories and other

skilled labor jobs were able to dramatically reduce the amount of time

it took to complete tasks. Once the war ended, men took their jobs

back and most women went back to their roles as housewives.

Nonetheless, women had affirmed their potential for success in almost

every trade, and all of the photographs, drawings, and paintings

included in my exhibit reflect this monumental achievement for women

during World War II.

References

Hollem. (1942). America from the Great Depression to World War II: Color Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1939-1945. Retrieved from

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/depwwii/wwarii/defense.html

Riveter Safety Bra. (1943). Rosie the riveter’s special engineering safety braRetrieved from

http://io9.com/#!5463916/rosie-the-riveters-special-engineering-safety-bra.

Rockwell. (1943). Rosie to the rescue. Retrieved from

http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?startat=/getposter.asp&APNum=2110894&CID=8E6A43FC3D934B0C888B8E0171BB1CAE&PPID=1&Search=norman%20rockwell%20women&f=t&FindID=0&P=1&PP=95&sortby=PD&c=c&page=1.Steinheimer. (1943). Women aviation workers under hair dryers in beauty salon, North

American Aviation's Woodworth plant. Retrieved from

http://www.art.com/products/p15327231-sa-i3671915/charles-e-steinheimer- Women-aviation-workers-under-hair-dryers-in-beauty-salon-north-american-aviations-woodworth-plant.htm?sorig=cat&sorigid=0&dimvals=5081429&ui=2F7e2d650bec4779905c82f6e7926c64

References Continued

Vosburg. (1943). Lightning lady. Retrieved from http://www.asaa-avart.org/visitors/exhibit.php.2008