Life on the Home Front Women Minorities Daily Life

Benefits of Wartime Production Helped end the Great Depression Created 19 million new jobs Almost doubled the average family’s income Needed to recruit women and minorities due to lack of white men

Women and Defense Plants Women recruited for industrial jobs Symbol of the campaign: “Rosie the Riveter” Worked in shipyards, aircraft factories and other manufacturing plants Changed American attitudes toward women in the workplace

Rosie the Riveter While other girls attend their favorite cocktail bar, Sipping dry martinis, munching caviar, There’s a girl who’s really putting them to shame--- Rosie is her name. All the day long whether rain or shine—She’s a part of the assembly line. She’s making history working for victory, Rosie the Riveter keeps a sharp look out for sabotage—Sitting up there on the fuselage--- That little frail can do more than a male can do, Rosie the Riveter Rosie’s got a boyfriend Charlie, Charlie, he’s a marine--- Rosie is protecting Charlie working overtime on the riveting machine– When they gave her production “E” – She was as proud as a girl could be. There’s something true about red, white, and blue about Rosie the Riveter

Oklahoma News: World War II Stories Women and the Home Front

A. Philip Randolph Leader of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Told FDR he was organizing thousands of African Americans to march in D.C. in the interest of securing jobs in defense and integration in military and naval forces

Executive Order 8802 FDR signed this order in response: – “No discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin.”

Opportunities for Mexicans Bracero Program: introduced by the government as a way to overcome the labor shortage in the United States. ( ) Over 200,000 Mexicans came to the United States to harvest fruits/vegetables Helped build and maintain railroads as well

MIGRATION!!! Moved west and south in order to find jobs Sunbelt: industrial region in southern California and the Deep South Created a housing crisis Federal government set aside money to create public housing, schools, and community centers

The tension grows… Detroit – Fights broke out between white and African American teenage girls – Started a full scale riot: 25 African Americans and 9 whites were killed – African Americans still committed to “Double V”

Zoot Suit Riots Los Angeles – Zoot Suit: very baggy, pleated pants and overstuffed, knee length jacket w/ wide lapels – Angered many Americans: considered unpatriotic – Mexican Americans adopted the fashion – 2,500 soldiers/sailors attacked Mexican American teenagers based on a rumor – Police did not intervene – Zoot suits was banned in Los Angeles

Rationing… Limiting the availability Meat, sugar rationed in order to provide for the army Gasoline was rationed, Speed limit set at 35 Blue coupons: controlled processed food Red coupons: controlled meat, fats, and oils Other coupons: controlled items like coffee or sugar

Victory Gardens & Scrap Drives Gardens were encouraged by the government in order to produce more food for the war effort Scrap drives held to collect spare rubber, tin, aluminum, and steel

Food will win the war…

Bond, E Bond….. Instituted by the government as a way to pay for the war Americans who bought bonds were loaning money to the government Promised they could be cashed in for purchase price plus interest