How People with Disabilities Helped Win World War II
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A man with dwarfism and a woman work together on the interior of an aircraft fuselage. The man, wearing a plaid shirt and trousers, is inside the circular frame, smiling as he works on the aircraft. The woman, dressed in a short-sleeved blouse and dark pants, stands outside, threading wires with focus. This black-and-white historical image captures the collaboration on a BT-13A "Valiant" basic trainer at the Downey plant. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Rosie the Riveter called women to join the workforce during World War II. But there was another recruitment campaign aimed at mobilizing millions of Americans previously deemed “ineligible” for military service. Over three million people with disabilities joined the war effort on the homefront, playing a crucial role in wartime production.
A World War II era U.S. Department of Labor poster with a green and black background, promoting the employment of disabled workers. The poster says 'Ability, not disability, counts' followed by the message: 'Hire the handicapped, it’s good business.' The poster features a large, detailed illustration of a man's face with a determined expression, his eyes are closed. Above him, a list of historical figures with disabilities—including Helen Keller, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Thomas Edison—emphasizes their achievements. This mid-20th-century campaign aimed to challenge workplace discrimination and advocate for inclusive hiring practices. Courtesy of The Perkins School for the Blind.
Before World War II, people with disabilities faced severe limitations in access to education and employment. No anti-discrimination laws protected their rights, and social stigma discouraged employers from hiring them. Many were left out of the workforce altogether. However, the attack on Pearl Harbor created an urgent demand for workers, forcing industries to reconsider whom they hired and how they trained and accommodated employees.
As wartime production ramped up, companies began hiring people with disabilities for essential jobs, many for the first time. Industrial giants like Goodyear, Lockheed, and Boeing utilized government recruitment campaigns and vocational training programs to fill vital roles. Aviation manufacturers employed workers with dwarfism, utilizing their ability to operate in tight, confined spaces. Noisy factories saw deaf workers communicate effectively using American Sign Language, increasing productivity. Blind workers excelled in tactile tasks requiring precision, performing detailed assembly work by hand. And veterans using wheelchairs or prosthetics benefitted from modified machinery that enabled them to contribute to production lines.
A 1943 newspaper clipping from the Buffalo Courier-Express featuring Wilbur and Marie Johncox, a deaf couple, working in a tool and die plant during World War II. The black-and-white photograph shows them operating industrial machinery, contributing to the wartime effort. The article highlights their skilled work, communication through writing, and the essential role of disabled workers in manufacturing. Buffalo Courier Express May 16th, 1943.
Overall, an estimated 80% of wartime industries integrated people with disabilities into their workforce. Ford Motor Company alone employed 11,000 workers with disabilities, paying them the same wages as their non-disabled colleagues. In 1943, a study of 100 companies compared the productivity of disabled and non-disabled workers. The results were groundbreaking: Disabled employees performed as well as, or better than, their non-disabled peers across all evaluated categories.
Blackie, a guide dog for blind worker Sylvester Rypkowski, gets his paw inked like a finger print as part of the standard identification process for war workers at the Ford Rouge factory during World War II. Rypkowski relied on Blackie to travel safely to and from work, where he contributed to wartime production. Just like his human coworkers, Blackie received an official photo identification badge. His story was featured in local and regional newspapers, highlighting the essential role of service animals in the workforce. October 1942. From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Despite their crucial contributions, disabled workers—much like women in the workforce—were expected to step aside for returning service members after the war, including newly disabled veterans. And the progress made in hiring practices was not continued. Their efforts proved, however, that given the right opportunities, people with disabilities could thrive in the workforce.
While it would take decades for anti-discrimination laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act to codify workplace protections, World War II provided an early and compelling example of the benefits of a workforce that included disabled employees, challenging outdated biases about capability.
A diverse group of about 50 workers at North American Aviation in Los Angeles pose together during World War II, gathered around a section of an aircraft they helped build. They vary in age, gender, and ethnicity as well as including a man with dwarfism and several men and women who are blind or low vision. The panel is covered in handwritten names, nicknames, and messages—likely a tradition to leave their mark on their contributions to the war effort. During this era, North American Aviation was a major producer of military aircraft, with men and women from different backgrounds working side by side to support the war. U.S. National Park Service.
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EXTENDED AUDIO DESCRIPTION. The story of the long push for equality and accessibility culminating in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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