Senators Feinstein and Boxer Introduce Legislation to Establish
‘Rosie the Riveter’ National Historic Park
October 6, 2000

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today introduced legislation to establish a Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historic Park in Richmond, Calif.

“This National Historic Park commemorates the female and minority workers who made major contributions to the Second World War effort,” Senator Feinstein said. “‘Rosie the Riveter’ symbolizes the heroic Americans who mobilized to fill the gap created by men who left their jobs for active military duty.”

Senator Boxer said, “This new park will honor the workers at the Kaiser Shipyard, who helped to turn the tide of World War II and change the nature of American society. The four Kaiser Yards in Richmond produced 747 ships, more than any other facility in America. By 1944, over a quarter of all those working at the Kaiser yard were women, including over 40 percent of welders and 24 percent of all other craft employees.”

The park will be constructed on the on the former site of the Kaiser Shipyard #2 in Richmond, which produced warships during World War II. Employment at the Richmond Shipyards peaked at 90,000 and was representative of the unprecedented integration of female and minority workers into the nation’s workforce.

Nationwide, six million women entered the World War II home front workforce. The Home Front industrial buildup started in early 1941with the Lend Lease Act, which ultimately helped the U.S. win the war.

Representative George Miller (D-CA) introduced a companion bill in the House last week.