Today's Worker Wednesday visitor is Rose C. Penna. She was captured in this 1943 photograph while working a the Long Island Railroad in Jamaica, N.Y. Text associated with the photograph reads:
Mrs. Rose C. Penna, 20, whose husband is entering the Signal Corps, is typical of the women now filling jobs of men who have gone into military service. The Long Island Railroad has women cleaning engines as Rose is doing here; operating signal towers, tidying up coaches and guarding crossings. All are inspired by the realization that each is freeing a man to fight the Axis or for other essential war work. They're holding the jobs until the men return.
This image is part of Hagley Library's collection of Chamber of Commerce of the United States photographs and audiovisual materials, Series II. Nation's Business photographs (Accession 1993.230.II).
Nation’s Business was a monthly publication from the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, a private lobbying group representing American business interests. The Chamber used the publication to inform the business community about commercial trends and to solidify political support around key positions on government policies regarding business and economic life.
Nation's Business is call number f HF1.N38 in the Hagley Library's Published Collections Department; our holdings cover all the years of its publication (1912 to 1999), with most volumes included in their entirety. All of the issues in our collection from 1915 on have been digitized - you can view them online now by clicking here or view a digital collection of Chamber of Commerce of the United States photographs, videos, and publications by clicking here.