Honoring “Rosie the Riveter” with gardens
The Spirit of ’45.org is an alliance, that began in 2009, of organizations and people working to preserve and honor the legacy of all the men and women of America’s WWII generation. As a result of their federal campaign called “Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive”, the Federal Congress got on board and voted unanimous support for observing March 21 and August 14th as the National Spirit of ’45 Days.
These dates are in connection with other National Celebrations: March is National Women’s Month, and August 14 is Victory of Japan Day. Since its start, the program has grown by forming alliances with other service & non-profit groups throughout the country who believe in this message.
From a rose growers standpoint, this movement has spawned the ‘Rosie the Riveter’ Rose Gardens throughout the US to help bring this effort right into local communities.
We Rosarian types can plant 3-12 of the ‘Rosie the Riveter’ rose bushes in our major community gardens as a stand-alone garden or in a portion of the large existing one. No limits, really.
Was Rosie a real person ?
Rosie was the iconic symbol of the American women’s work force during the Second World War, and was immortalized in the famous art poster, shown below, of a female factory worker flexing her muscle, asking other women to join the World War II effort.
Her original image is by J. Howard Miller and has since been restored by Adam Cuerden. The image is based on a factory worker named Naomi Parker Fraley, who was photographed working on an aircraft assembly milling machine at the Naval Air Station Alameda, Alameda, California.
Many of us thought for years that it was based on a Boeing factory worker in Seattle, but that has been revisited since Mrs Fraley stepped forward. No matter in the end. The image appeared on many posters during the war – and has reappeared now during the Covid scare, as an empowering icon once again.
She was one of thousands working at plants all over the western US building airplane parts until the end of the war, and some of these hardy women are still alive here in 2020.
American women played valuable roles during World War II, both at home like Rosie, and in uniform:
They worked to produce tanks, ships, planes and other heavy industries for the effort.
More than 5 million civilian women stepped up to serve in the civil defense and commercial sectors throughout the war years.
Almost all women learned traditionally male jobs when the men were off to the front lines.
In 1942, Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb composed a song called “Rosie the Riveter.”
Artist Norman Rockwell’s cover for the May 29, 1944, issue of The Saturday Evening Post magazine was an illustration of a female riveter with the name “Rosie” painted on the lunch pail.
Around 350,000 American women served in uniform at home and abroad, volunteering to serve in all of the Armed Services.
Some women even served near the front lines of the Army Nurse Corps.
Many were killed in direct enemy fire, and some were captured as prisoners of war.
But many nurses were decorated for their bravery and meritorious service in both Combat Theaters.
With Covid-19, Rosie ‘Can Do’ attitude is relevant again
The idea for Rosie Rose Gardens grew as it was realized that there was no fitting memorial to the ‘Rosies’ who had worked on the home front during one of America’s most critical times. There wasn’t even mention of them on the National WWII Memorial on the National Mall.
The Spirit of ’45 organization has stepped up to answer this with a national network of rose gardens in their honor. They’re perfect places to reflect on the context of that time, and remember the ‘Rosies’ as hard working, local contributors to the war effort – and give their legacy to the country a chance to be carried forward by younger women and girls. It’s also about empowerment.
Over recent years, thanks in part to their efforts, recognition for the “Rosies” has finally been gaining momentum. The U.S. Postal Service even issued a stamp in the 1990s featuring an image of Rosie the Riveter for our snail mail & postcards.
The garden project gets some traction . . .
Starting in Long Beach, CA in 2017, the gardens have come on board, usually as part of various local WWII memorials and parks. Only Oregon has adopted this program fully, so far. But there is an opportunity to do much more in each state.
And getting one started is a simple process. Here’s how:
- -Planting 3 or more “Rosie the Riveter” rose bushes with a well-dressed helper, and-Observances will be held on March 21 during National Women’s History Month,
- -That the Rosie the Riveter sign (shown below) be displayed.
- -and similar observances during the Spirit of ’45 Weekend in August.
The work needs to continue. .
The virus inundated U.S. hospitals and health care facilities over the first March in 2020. As of April 20 as I wrote this, more than 789,000 cases had been diagnosed in the U.S., culminating in more than 42,000 deaths reported. But we discovered that it would get worse before it got better.
Vaccines were in the works, but were not widely available until 2021 for the general population.
But just looking at some of the many WWII veterans gave us all hope. Many of the World War II veterans who got the virus have since recovered – a huge feat because the whole elderly population with underlying health conditions has been a hard-hit age group.
But many more from ‘The Greatest Generation’ will never get the recognition – including the ‘Rosies’.
As of January there were Rosie Gardens in full display or in preliminary stages in only 28 states. Naturally, the goals are for one in each state, with further plans for 1 in each legislative district also.
Goals are great, but plans get things done. We’ll see . . .
What we can do for the ‘Rosies’
The public is invited to participate in this national campaign to create a Rosie the Riveter Memorial Rose Garden by planting a Garden in their community and organizing 2 local annual activities to honor these Americans now, so that it will continue to inspire future generations of young American women.
The American Rose Society is one of the Community Partners of ‘Spirit of ’45’, along with other substantial national groups such as the National Park Service, the American Legion, and many local Girl Scout Troops. If we do get involved at the local level, we’re in good company and may find some planting and media helpers along the way. We all need some feel-good stories right now.
To help you get started, Spirit of ’45 has highlighted some basic steps for creating and sustaining a Rosie the Riveter Memorial Rose Garden.
In any American community, they can be a part of a larger national network:
Choose a location that makes sense, like a civic or library building.
Order ‘Rosie the Riveter’ Roses. 3 – 12 bushes will do nicely.
Invite partners from your community: businesses, leaders, groups.
Order an official Garden sign from Carlson Signs.
Notify the local media of your event, and share the national story in your newsletter & on your website.
Plan online events and activities around the planting day online and on social media.
Order bushes & a yard sign below for Fall planting
As of the 2020 writing
–The signs are available directly from the sign maker, Carlson Signs.
-The bushes are available to order at both High Country Nursery and Edmunds Nursery. Use the buttons below.
Carlson Signs
High Country Nursery
Edmunds Nursery
The more people who know about this effort, the better, so feel free to share this post with your friends and any members of Rose Societies out there.
3 Rosie the Riveter rose bushes and a sign in any community garden is a modest effort toward unifying this legacy for all the women in our lives.
Sources: Wikipedia, Spirit of ’45.Org, ARS, Carlson Signs, High Country Nursery, Edmunds Nursery
