Rosie the Riveter

Rosie the Riveter, fictional, symbolic poster character during World War II, part of the United States government's publicity campaign to encourage women to join the workforce. Before the war, most middle- and upper-class American women stayed home and took care of the house and children. As men began leaving for the war, their jobs became vacant. In addition, other jobs were created as the war increased demand for such products as food, clothing, and munitions. Women were needed to fill the vacant jobs, and Rosie the Riveter was created to enlist them.

Rosie the Riveter was depicted as an attractive, rosy-cheeked woman dressed in work clothes, designed to make the idea of working outside the home attractive and comfortable. She made it seem patriotic rather than unfeminine to work outside the home. With the help of the Rosie the Riveter publicity campaign, more than 6 million women joined the workforce during the war. After the war ended in 1945, most of these women lost their jobs to the returning male workforce. However, in the United States as in Europe, working outside the home became more acceptable for middle-class women.