WE Can Do It!

BACK STORY OF THIS POSTER CALLED “ROSIE THE RIVETER”!

This poster was created by American graphic artist. J. Howard Miller.

In 1941, Miller’s work came to the attention of the Westinghouse Company and he was hired to create a series of posters to sponsor the company’s War Production Coordinating Committee.

This poster is commonly called Rosie the Riveter, however at the time of the poster’s release that name wasn’t associated with the picture. That came a year later when a popular patriotic song called “Rosie the Riveter came out.

The poster became a symbol for women who produced war supplies and took new jobs replacing the male workers who were in the military.

Miller based the “We Can Do It!” poster on a United Press International picture taken of Geraldine Doyle working at a factory.

Ironically, Doyle only lasted two weeks on the job before quitting because she feared a hand injury would prevent her from playing her cello.

The poster did not become widely known until the 1970’s and 80’s when it began to be used by advocates of women’s equality in the workplace

SIDE NOTE:

Geraldine Doyle, who was the inspiration behind the now famous poster, died in 2010 at the age 86.

Doyle didn’t know she was the model for the poster until 1984, when she came across an article in Modern Maturity magazine, now known as AARP, which linked a photo of her to the poster.