This now iconic poster was designed by artist J. Howard Miller and commissioned by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. Though today the poster is often identified as “Rosie the Riveter,” the “We Can Do It” poster was originally displayed for just two weeks in 1943 on the walls inside of Westinghouse plants. It was one of many posters that were meant to keep the American workforce motivated throughout World War II.
In 1944, the War Production Board offered a collection of over 1,500 posters, including “We Can Do It” to the National Archives. Many years later, in the early 1980s, the poster reeemerged into the public eye and has since been adopted by many as a symbol of female empowerment, especially embodying the WWII ideal of “Rosie the Riveter.”
The We Can Do It! poster is a part of America’s 100 Docs, an initiative of the National Archives Foundation in partnership with More Perfect that invites the American public to vote on 100 notable documents from the holdings of the National Archives. Visit 100docs.vote today.
