It’s Official: Today is the First Ever National Rosie the Riveter Day

As a way of honoring the blue factory-tagged, butt-kicking female icon of WWII, March 21st has been dubbed the first ever American Rosie the Riveter Day.

Six real-life “Rosies” who worked on factory lines and ship yards during World War II are being honored today at the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park visitors center in Richmond, California. The women, who are now all in their 90s, reportedly said of the event: “It’s about time.”

The proposal for the day of recognition was introduced by Senator Bob Casey and passed on March 15th with the help of several California Congress members.

RELATED: World’s Oldest Golfing Club to Finally Admit Women

The Rosie The Riveter Trust, a Richmond-based nonprofit organization, said in an announcement: “Most people don’t think of Rosie the Riveter as someone who paved the way for women’s equality in the workforce. The prevailing idea is that Rosie stepped up to fill a gap while men fought the war during World War II.

“While that was true, and many women were patriotic, a majority of women who went into the workforce as riveters, welders, electricians, engineers and more during the course of the years 1941 to 1945, were women of all ages seeking to gain high level skills and salaries after years of being passed over for jobs or doing backbreaking work as field hands, nannies and more. Some were young women who had not yet found decent work; some escaped abusive families.

CHECK OUT: Women Who Served in Vietnam are Happier and Healthier Than Average American Female

“But whatever the reasons why they descended upon towns across the U.S. that were producing ships and planes for the war effort, they found a new freedom, good money, and a chance to excel in unfamiliar formerly “men’s” jobs. Women’s History Month is a perfect time to celebrate what the Rosies truly did, both for our country, and for women, as they changed the way we work.”

Though the special day is currently only a one-time event since it still needs to be passed by the House of Representatives, our modern Rosies have said that they will continue rallying for it to become a national holiday in the future.

Click To Share The News With Your Friends