What role did race play in women’s work in the 1930s and 1940s? What changes do you see in women’s work and ideas about women’s work between the 1930s and 1940s?

Women’s work in Depression and War

Women’s work was a topic that came up frequently throughout the Great Depression and World War II. With the high unemployment rate of the 1930s, many were hostile to women “taking jobs” from men who needed to provide for their families. During the war, however, women’s work was praised and promoted, as it was recognized that women were needed to fill the labor shortage left by men deployed overseas.
As you review sources, consider all the questions below. Then choose ONE of the bullets below to address thoroughly in an initial post. You should use specific examples from at least two primary sources in your post.
What role did race play in women’s work in the 1930s and 1940s?
What changes do you see in women’s work and ideas about women’s work between the 1930s and 1940s?
What was deemed as acceptable work for women and why?
Was the work viewed as permanent or temporary?