Sine Qua Non: Honoring 18 Million+ Women Who Joined the WWII Workforce
Not only did America’s Rosie the Riveters help win the war, but they also opened the doors for future generations of women, forever changing the course of the economy and the strength of our nation. These profiles in grit and determination have transcended generations and inspired an effort to honor their legacy on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
“Sine qua non” translates to “without which not” in Latin and is used to describe something that is absolutely essential or indispensable.
The Women Who Worked on the Home Front WWII Memorial Act, signed into law in 2022, authorized the WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation to build a memorial in Washington, D.C. This memorial, fully funded through private donations (no government funds will be used, as required by the Commemorative Works Act) will honor the women whose contributions were essential to sustaining the war effort.
The bipartisan, bicameral World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act, introduced in March 2025, would authorize the National Mall as the location for the memorial, honoring the women who worked on the home front during World War II.
“The contribution of the women of America, whether on the farm or in the factory or in uniform, to D-Day was a sine qua non of the invasion effort.”
–Dwight D. Eisenhower
Photos and stories courtesy of the WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation.
