On March 21, the Bucks County Women’s History Association awarded Mae Krier for the work she did to gain recognition for the Rosie the Riveters, whose labor helped win World War II. When the men went overseas to fight, the American women at home signed up in droves to work in the factories, manufacturing machinery and supplies to contribute to the war effort. Their labor was instrumental to the Allies’ victory.
Krier recounts how, when the war was over, “The men were given parades, and the women were given the pink slip.” Krier started working as a Rosie the Riveter when she was 17 years old. After the war, she worked to gain recognition for the important work that she and her fellow Rosies had done. As a result of her advocacy, Congress established a National Rosie the Riveter Day (March 21) in 2017, and on April 10, 2024, collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to honor the Rosies’ contributions. Krier, along with several other surviving Rosies, went to Washington to receive the award.
I was asked to write a poem for Bucks County’s March 21 Women’s History Month Award celebration. It was an honor to meet Mae, to participate in the celebration, and to learn more about the hard work of these pioneering women. Mae is a truly inspiring person.
The poem — “Working Girls” — is slated to appear in the Bucks County Herald’s Poet’s Corner later this year.
Tara Tamburello 
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