The Rosie the Riveter Movement

We pulled together then; we can pull together again. It’s our only hope.

Nancy Sipple, Rosie the Riveter

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can CHANGE THE WORLD. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

Help America to seize this brief moment

Do your part to help America to know, honor and work with Rosie the Riveters

Listen to a Rosie (click here)

Why “The Rosie the Riveter Movement” Is Important?

“Thanks!” has created projects that people can repeat by working with Rosies in many places. This is important because:

1. People need to pull together to leave lasting evidence of work for freedom.
2. The world is facing problems that impact us all, and we must learn to work together to solve them.
3. Women can contribute by cooperating, and Rosies are excellent examples.
Movements for the good of society should show people how to work together, not just how to protest together.

Rosies will be gone soon. Help us show what Rosies have done and are doing again. By following their example, you help people pull together to do quality work.

After seven years of finding ways to work with America’s Rosie the Riveters, a nonprofit organization is now ready to “unify America to honor and work with these. The Rosie the Riveter Program designed by our Executive Director Anne Montague is a model for how communities can find, interview and work with America’s Rosie the Riveters.

“Of all our successes - from original music to building Rosie the Riveter parks - the most important so far has been how beautifully the Dutch are embracing America’s ‘Rosies’, said Captain Bill Bonnett. On May 2, 2015 the Embassy of the Netherlands in Washington honored 14 Rosies from several states. The Ambassador spoke, and guests included representatives from the US Secretary of State’s Global Women’s Initiative, the U.S Park Service, and the Pentagon. On May 8 2015, three Rosies were hosted by the National Liberation Museum 1944-45 in Groesbeek, Netherlands. At the exact moment on May 8th, 2015, both the Embassy and the museum planted a pink dogwood, which is the species Rosies chose to represent them when the first was planted on July 6, 2010 in St. Albans, WV. On June 1, the King and Queen of the Netherlands met four Rosies at Arlington Cemetery and spent time with them after laying a wreath on a soldiers grave.

We’re helping community and national leaders participate in a movement to assure that Rosies’ legacy is part of America’s identity and consciousness. International awareness of the importance of Rosie to the free world and to using the strengths of women is helping Americans see the value in these women who are usually in their 90s and fading fast.

We created approximately 20 different projects that are replicable by almost any community in America and internationally, and involve communities working with living Rosie the Riveters. Some examples are:

1. Named the first government building “Rosie the Riveter Building”, two bridges (one interstate) “Rosie the Riveter Bridge”, a room in an international hostel the “Rosie the Riveter Room”
2. Created the only quilt that Rosie the Riveters have designed
3. Developed and completed the first park that Rosie the Riveters completely planned and implemented
4. Created two Rosie the Riveter songs, one which is a “wrap around” for the documentary film
5. Proposed and completed a documentary film called “Rosie the Riveters then and Now”, paid for in part by the West Virginia Humanities Council, and released in 2011
6. Completed approximately 60 interviews, some of which have been transcribed and are in various museums and libraries
7. To have invited two Allied Nations to thank American Rosie the Riveters for the first time (Belgium in 2009, Great Britain in 2010)
8. Completed two thirds of a book contributed to by 26 Rosies
9. Hosted by three Dutch entities (The Embassy of the Netherlands in Washington, DC in 2015, the National Liberation Museum 1944-45 in Groesbeek, Netherlands in 2015, and the King and Queen of Netherlands at Arlington Cemetery in 2015)
10. Developed questions and protocol for interviewing Rosie the Riveters to have started lesson plans for public school at 6th grade level
11. Planted pink dogwood trees after Rosies chose the dogwood ate as the species best represents them (plantings occurred from 2010 to 2015)
12. Planned two simultaneous events in Europe in America (planting of dogwood trees in 2015 and 2016; ringing bells to awaken the public to importance of Rosies in 2016 on Labor Day)
13. Installed bluebird nest boxes with “Rosies” in West Virginia and Maryland (bluebirds represented hope to Rosies during WWII)
14. Filmed Rosies with WWII veterans (Woody Williams, war historian Ken Heckler) in order to compare the experiences of WWII veterans and Rosies.
15. Arranged for Rosie the Riveters to go into schools in numerous states
16. Guided Rosies to give speeches at historic events (e.g., the National Liberation Museum 1944-45 in 2015; the World War II Memorial in Washington in 2014, at the Netherlands Carillon in Washington in 2016; at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia in 2016).
17. Created monuments and markers in places where Rosies have congregated
18. Created art by children and adults, some of which is used in advertising.

“Thanks!” has also guided several persons and organizations to the level of being awarded a title of “model,” including:

1. Jay Wertz, recognized author of World War II books, based on interviews of veterans (from Los Angeles)
2. The City of Brunswick, MD for consistent high-quality work with living Rosies on various projects
3. Charleston Gold Dome Lions Club for consistent high-quality work with several Rosie the Riveters (in WV)
4. Hugo Keesing, Ph. D. for being the first international scholar and volunteer and facilitator of much work with people of the Netherlands (from MD)
5. Tim Wilson for consistent volunteerism in Eastern Maryland (from MD)
6. WV American Legion for consistent work to encourage cooperation between Rosies and veterans (WV)
7. Lt. Col. Ceryl Johns, British-born son of a Rosie who brought his mother from Wales twice to help plant the first tree and be in a parade, then, after her death, he spoke at two major events (from SC).

“Thanks!” plans a three phase program to guide people to know, learn from, and continue the legacy of these women. Phase II, over the next four years, will be to guide others who model high-quality work to know and educate with living Rosies. Phase III will be to sustain the Rosie legacy into the future.