Real Life Rosie The Riveters in New York
by Michelle Murillo
4/2/2012
Rosie the Riviter, she was the poster girl for women who went to work in factories in World War II supporting the war effort. On Tuesday you can see her as you haven't seen her before.
You probably picture the poster of the woman flexing her muscle, but how about a different image of her.
“I was Local 1227 of the United Electrical Workers Union”, says Esther Horne, a real Rosie and native New Yorker who worked in machine shops in the city and Queens.
”The drill presses and lathes and screw machines and milling machines had big belts that were screwed in on the ceiling, flapping. The Noise!”, she said about the conditions.
Now in her 80's Horne is one of the Rosie's featured in an interview collection filmed for the NYU library.
You can see the interviews by clicking here.
Director Kirsten Kelly, says until you hear these women's stories, you don't realize their impact on history, beyond their war time work.
“This was the beginning of what became the women's movement. It was their daughters that learned from them that sparked and drove the women's movement of the 70's”, Kelly says, “I don't know if that would have happened the some way or as fast without the Rosies.”
Tonight some of the real Rosies will talk about their experiences in a discussion at New York University’s Tamiment Library, 70 Washington Square South, at La Guardia Place. The Discussion begins at 6 p.m. There's no charge, but they ask you make a reservation by calling (212) 992-9018 or e-mailing rsvp.bobst@nyu.edu.
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