The Government and How They Thought

The government was in great need to fill positions in factories to fill the orders of war contracts. Before the end of 1943, more than one-third of all workers in the United States must be women. (America at War Needs Women at Work). The jobs were portrayed as fun and glamorous. They played upon women’s maternal instincts as well, using phrases such as “an idle machine may mean a dead soldier” and the more women at work…………….the Sooner We’ll Win!” There was sexism, racism and poor working conditions for the women who went to work.
There was still discrimination and racism going on even after President Roosevelt issued an executive order banning discrimination in defense industries or in government “because of race, color, creed, or national origin.” The number of Negroes entering the work force increased by one million from 1940 until 1944, of these, only six thousand were women. Companies segregated the black workers from the white workers. They (the companies) would not even advance the black workers although they deserved it. Negro workers did not take very well to the discrimination without protest. They protested against lower wages, went on strike because companies would not advance qualified Negro workers to supervisory positions, they would strike because of poor working conditions. The Urban League was involved and helped win a lot of the unjustness going on. There was segregation and racism in the military as well. A lot of women joined the military during World War II. They were segregated into “female jobs” such as typing, filing, keeping records, cleaning and military men expected them to be their servants and sexual partners upon demand. There was still segregation and racism in the military as well. Nellie Holliday went AWOL because she was placed in an all-white unit: apparently she was very light skinned. She went as far as joining or signing up closer to the black unit and they still sent her to the all-white unit. She was not able to have her boyfriend, family or friends visit her at the all-white unit because of the discrimination. She went back to her home awaiting to hear from someone in command telling her to go to a “colored unit.” The government used a lot of propaganda to get women to go to work in the factories and do a man’s job. The local media helped with advertising in the newspapers, having posters put in store windows, having the theatre play commercials making is sound and look glamorous to work in some of these places. They also used women to recruit women. Local clubs and churches also helped with the recruitment of women. Women were told that if they could use a mixer, follow a recipe to a tee, operate a sewing machine, then she would be able to use and operate the machinery at the factories or shipyards or wherever she was needed. (America’s Working Women). They neglected to tell her that she would need training to use the machinery and tools in the factories. It was not “a piece of cake” per say. Local stores, banks, and markets would accommodate the working woman and stay open later so she could still get domestic duties done as well. The stores and markets would put items back until the working women would get off work. Some markets would take groceries to the plants to try to make it easier on the women, eliminating unnecessary shopping. Other places would take the women’s food orders in the morning and deliver it to them at the end of their shift. In one plant, a grocery store, meat market, barber and beauty shop were established to help accommodate the women. There was also banking services on pay days to deposit checks. Women needed more help than what was being offered to them, they needed help with child care services, they also needed help emotionally as this was something new for them to be doing. After all, it was only twenty years prior to this that women won the right to vote and were considered citizens. Image three is portraying four women leaving the shipyard after a hard day at work. Three of them are walking arm in arm, smiling and not one ounce of dirt on them. The fourth woman is standing behind them a little but still smiling. You almost expect them to break out in a happy song! Three of the women are wearing overalls (jeans) and one looks like she is wearing coveralls. The lady in the back appears to be wearing a dress or a nurse uniform. Two of the women appear to be carrying something, possibly a lunch box. This could be a poster being used as propaganda to get other women to join the work-force. After all, it does not look like they put in a hard day at work. The government neglected to tell them that they would get dirty, work a lot of long hours, and suffer from mal-nutrition. The women could have used some help learning about better nutrition so they could perform the required work expected of them.

Primary Sources used were : America's Working Women, AMERICA AT WAR NEEDS WOMEN AT WORK