Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of the United States. She was a symbol who represented American women in 1942. At that time, the words 'Rosie the Riveter' were first used in a song of the same name written by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb. The 'Rosie the Riveter' poster truly then became famous along with the slogan: "We Can Do It!"

The real-life inspiration behind the iconic poster was Geraldine Hoff Doyle. She died on December 26, 2010 in Lansing, Michigan, at the age of 86. She was just 17 when a photographer took her picture at work. She had taken a factory job after graduating high school; she was one of 6 million women who entered the workforce during World War II to plug gaping holes in the U.S. industrial labor force.

Doyle was an aspiring cellist, and she left her job after just two weeks of employment when she learned that industrial machinery had badly injured another worker’s hands. She found a position at a soda fountain and bookstore, where she met her future husband, Leo, in 1943. The couple had six children and were able to run a successful dental practice.

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