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Film Screening and Moderated Discussion
Government Girls: African American Women Who
Helped Build the Federal Government
The film is finished!
Join the University of St. Thomas School of Education for a special Dean's Forum featuring a screening of Government Girls: African American Women Who Helped Build the Federal Government, a new documentary by Dr. Aura Wharton-Beck, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Executive Producer.
Following the screening, Wharton-Beck will be joined by historian Dr. Duchess Harris, who is featured in the film, and Edie French, president and CEO of iDream.tv, for a moderated conversation led by Eyenga Bokamba, director of the Minnesota Institute for Trauma Informed Education (MITIE). Together, they will explore the film's themes of public service, access and opportunity, generational change, and the importance of preserving overlooked stories in American history.
This event is free but registration is required.
Aura Wharton-Beck honored at 100 Hispanic Women, Inc. National Gala
who were the government girls?
The iconic image of Rosie the Riveter seems to represent the role and work experience of U.S. women during World War II. This image however, does not account for more than 1.5 million women who filled white-collar jobs in the federal government. Numerous women accepted positions in blue-collar jobs. For some young Black women, the choices for work were quite limited. Munitions factories and other wartime industries hired these women to build bombs and other military products. Work in these factories was dangerous, the hours were long, and sometimes unrewarding. Other women worked as domestic servants. During World War II, Negro and White women accepted appointments to work in federal agencies in Washington, DC.
However, there was a small but growing number of women who possessed the right skills to obtain white collar jobs in the federal government. The Great Migration served as the vehicle for the mass exodus out of the South. For single, young, and adventurous African American women, passing the civil service examinations enabled them to join White women in various federal agencies to help support the war effort. These new federal civil service employees traveled from the Jim Crow South to seek employment in the Treasury, Army, Navy, War, Pentagon, and other federal agencies. As these Government Girls accepted government jobs, these positions served to lift them out of domestic service and poverty into professional careers and middle-class lives.
Until now, few knew the story of the African American Government Girls.
The Goverment Girls Film Project featured by the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment! Aura Wharton-Beck and her film project were featured in a video that you don’t want to miss. CLICK HERE to see the video and read more about how it came about.
THE FILM PROJECT: To learn more about the important documentary film project and how you can help get it completed CLICK HERE.
Publications featuring Dr. Aura Wharton Beck
Ruby Garrard Wilson in front of Slowe Hall (1919-3rd Street, N.W., Washington, DC)
Edith Brinn
Edith Brinn
E-Wingers having fun in Midway Hall, 1946
Mary Wiggins standing in front of a government office building in Washington, DC.
Friend of Edith Brinn in Midway Hall
Harriett Lane Mhoon
Contact: Indelible Narratives
Please use this contact form to send questions, comments, photos and stories you have about the Government Girls of WWII.
IndelibleNarratives1946@Gmail.com