I had an Aunt who was part of the Black Rosie the Riveters on Mare Island.

 GeeGreen ,

We are not aware of any list of the women who worked as Rosie the Riveters. Mare Island was one of many locations where women worked to support the US during World War II. The Invisible Warriors documentary estimates that there were 600,000 Black women who joined the workforce in defense and industrial roles to help win the war! The documentary spotlights a few of them here: https://invisiblewarriorsfilm.com/warriors/ 

Now Mare Island was a naval shipyard and jobs held by Rosies there were very much like the iconic Rosie the Riveter. The National Association of Black Military Women has a page focusing on the Black Rosies (https://www.nabmw.org/the-rosies) and notes that in August 1942, Mare Island had at least ten Black Rosies, one of which was shipfitter Lola Thomas, who is pictured on their page (I've got more about this photo below!). There is also a Facebook group focused on the Rosies of Mare Island you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/RosiesMareIsland/.

The National Archives does have a few pictures of the Rosies at Mare Island. This includes the full group photo with Lola Thomas which shows her working with other Rosies on completing the floor in a part of the engine room of the USS Nereus taken around 1943 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/296892.

There's also another photo of shipfitter at work: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/296891

Another of a worker in the pattern shop: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/296886

And some Rosies relaxing at lunchtime: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/296889 

I hope this helps you know more about your aunt's time working on Mare Island as a Black Rosie!

We are very grateful for her contributions in winning the war, and for showing us all that sometimes the the right man for a job may be a Black woman!

GeeGreen

Take a look at the site shown below

https://sacobserver.com/2022/07/rosie-the-riveter-and-the-black-women-who-joined-a-movement/

Hope this helps

Rebecca

Hi GeeGreen,

If you have her name (probably a maiden name if she was not married before she started there), and maybe at least part of her SSN or any way to identify her as your Aunt, you might be able to get help from the National Finance Center (NFC). If she was on the payroll of either the Dept of Defense or Mare Island Naval Shipyard, there may be a payroll record in NFC's archives.

If your Mom/Dad who was connected to the Aunt is still alive, you may want/need their assistance in making the request. Usually next of kin can be more successful with this sort of thing.

Even a photo of a shipyard pin or anything might help.

Thank you so much for what you do! I wasn't able to get what I was looking for, but it did expand my knowledge about the Riveters! Thank you!

Thanks Rebecca!

Thank you so much for what you do! I wasn't able to get what I was looking for, but it gaves me info that I got from an earlier teply. Thank you!

Thanks! LFWinslow, this gives me something that I can research. I hope with my information, I can get some official document that confirms she was working there at the time.

Thanks again!

Thank you! The NFC info maybe what I need!

Thanks again!