Resources

National Black Women’s Labor Day Toolkit

National Black Women’s Labor Day (NBWLD), observed annually on April 5th or close to it, is a day to honor the significant, often overlooked, contributions of Black women to the American workforce and economy, particularly the 600,000 African American women known as “Black Rosie the Riveters” who worked in factories, shipyards, and government offices during World War II.

The day also acknowledges the broader legacy of Black women’s labor, from enslaved workers to modern-day organizers, and supports efforts to address ongoing challenges like workplace discrimination and exclusion from certain industries.

There are a number of ways that organizations and individuals can commemorate National Black Women’s Labor Day.

Invisible Warriors Teaching with Primary Sources Booklet

On June 23, 2025, The Basil and Becky Educational Foundation (BBEEF), The Library of Congress -Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS), and the National World War II Museum, partnered with approximately 40 Social Studies and History teachers, helping them to dive deeper into the history, complexities, and outcomes of African American participation in the “greatest event in human history” – World War II.

The Library of Congress (TPS) partnership and BBEEF enhanced the educators’ use of primary sources in their classrooms. Dr. Dawn Chitty and documentarian/Director Gregory S. Cooke, guided the instruction by screening and using images from the critically acclaimed documentary, Invisible Warriors,
African American Women In World War II. The Museum’s theme, “Fighting For The Right To Fight,” illuminating African American wartime contributions in the military and on the Homefront, stimulated dozens of thought-provoking questions and comments from the instructors. All teachers received our instructor’s guide.