SFO Museum honored by The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)
SFO Museum has been honored with a 2025 Award of Excellence by The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) for the recent exhibition Rosie the Riveter: Womanpower in Wartime. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards, now in its 80th year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.
"I am so pleased to be recognized by the AASLH," said Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet. "I am very proud of the entire SFO Museum team and the work they do to inspire our passengers and employees every single day.”
“We are deeply honored to receive the AASLH Award of Excellence for Rosie the Riveter: Womanpower in Wartime. This exhibition reflects our commitment to illuminating pivotal moments in history that resonate across generations,” said Jennifer McCade, Director and Chief Curator. “The story of Rosie is one of resilience, labor, and transformation—and it continues to inspire. We’re proud to share this recognition with our collaborators at the National Park Service, the Richmond Museum of History and Culture, and the Labor Archives at San Francisco State University. I also want to recognize the extraordinary efforts of our staff, whose thoughtfulness, scholarship, and dedication brought this project to life. This award underscores the importance of partnerships and the power of museums to connect the past to the present in meaningful ways.”
Rosie the Riveter: Womanpower in Wartime
World War II had a profound impact on working women in American society. After the United States entered the war on December 7, 1941, millions of men left manufacturing jobs for military service, and recruiters scoured the country in search of replacements. Women joined the workforce in record numbers and filled industrial positions previously denied to them. Migrating from diverse regions and cultures, women converged on the nation’s industrial centers and quickly learned skills that traditionally took years to master. Popular culture and propaganda launched the legend of “Rosie the Riveter,” the anonymous, bandanna-clad woman in coveralls who produced all manner of wartime equipment on the home front. An empowering icon of determination, Rosie the Riveter proved to a generation of Americans that women could excel in any job offered to them.
For more information about the Leadership in History Awards, contact AASLH at (615) 320-3203 or go to www.aaslh.org.