One of the newest exhibits at the San Francisco International Airport Museum at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) tells the story of Rosie the Riveter and the achievements of the more than 16 million women who joined the workforce during World War II.
In 1944, at the height of wartime production, more than 16 million women were employed, including more than 3 million in skilled factory jobs to support the massive growth in war-related industries. Many of these jobs were related to aviation.
Here is the story of Rosie the Riveter from the exhibition notes:
televisionWorld War II had a profound impact on working women in American society. After the United States entered the war on December 7, 1941, millions of men left their manufacturing jobs to join the military, and draftees searched the country for replacements. Women entered the workforce in record numbers, filling previously inaccessible industrial positions. Women from different regions and cultures gathered in the industrial centers of the United States and quickly learned skills that traditionally took years to master. Popular culture and propaganda gave rise to the legend of “Rosie the Riveter,” an anonymous woman who wore overalls and a headscarf to produce various wartime equipment on the home front.
Look for Rosie the Riveter: Wartime Female Power Through May 11, 2025, post-security screening is conducted at Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport.
(Photo courtesy of San Francisco International Airport Museum)
