Rosie Goes to Washington (and Meets the President)
Post #60 – Rosie’s Daughters: The “First Woman To” Generation Tells Its Story by Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett
If you are a fan of Rosie the Riveter (and you are since you are visiting this website), then you know about the Rosie the Riveter / WWII Home Front National Historical Park and the Rosie the Riveter Trust in Richmond, California. This week, they brought to fruition a long anticipated trip of Rosies to Washington, DC to meet Vice President Biden. While there, they had a surprise visitor (see the video below). We think you’ll love this modern day view of Rosies who helped us win World War II.
By the way, you just might want to have a handkerchief nearby. I know that I certainly teared up while watching the video.
ABC US News | ABC Business News
The Rosies who went to Washington are part of the Rosie the Riveter Trust. Here’s a little about it:
“In 1997, a group of Richmond citizens formed the Rosie the Riveter Memorial Committee to create a memorial that would honor the women who had worked on the home front during the war. The committee brought together a coalition of supporters to fund the creation of a permanent landscape sculpture and the City of Richmond sponsored an open design competition to select a design team. In October 2000, the Committee dedicated the sculpture in Marina Bay—a former Kaiser shipyard from World War II—with several hundred “Rosies” in attendance.
“Local leaders formed the Rosie the Riveter Trust, and worked with Congressman George Miller seeking Congressional authorization for a feasibility study to determine whether a national park could be established. Congressman Miller then carried legislation and President William Clinton signed the bill that established the Rosie the Riveter/Home Front National Historical Park on October 24, 2000.
“…Since the park’s formation, the Rosie the Riveter Trust and National Park service have worked to designate important historical sites, preserve and restore sites and artifacts, and create many more opportunities for visitor access and education about this catalytic and vitally important era in U.S. history.
“The Trust has been instrumental in helping to establish the Rosie the Riveter Memorial and park, in re-locating important artifacts like the huge Whirley Crane at Shipyard 3, and in completing a $9 million renovation of the historic Maritime Childcare Center, which won a LEED Gold for Schools award and now operates as a living part of the park. In May 2012, the Trust also supported the opening of of the new Visitor Center next to the Ford Assembly Plant, and a Visitor Gift Shop operated by the Trust. Other successes have included development of important youth programs like Rosie’s Girls, a free summer camp for at-risk girls, modeled on the courageous women who tackled hands-on jobs during WWII and in the process, broke barriers for women in the workforce.”
And of course, we are thrilled that most of the Rosies wore our Rosie the Riveter Legacy Bandana. Our Rosie Gear Product Line is now being sold by the Rosie the Riveter/Home Front National Historical Park in their store. If you are near Richmond or visit the Bay Area, be sure to stop by the museum and support their ongoing programs to honor the Rosie generation and future generations of Rosie Girls.
[If you are interested in any of our Rosie the Riveter Gear and won’t be near Richmond, you will find description in our Rosie Store on this site. In addition, we now sell all of our items through our Etsy.com Store.]
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