The Woman's Land Army of America

[Gregory Matthews]

The nation was in crisis. The Great War (World War I) was being waged in Europe. The United States had entered the battle. Male farmers were going off to fight and it appeared that the national food supply was endangered.

With the support of President Wilson and his wife, a female work force was organized to go to the farms and raise the food needed for the nation. It is believed that some 20,000 women answered the call of their county and joined the Woman's Land Army of America (WLAA), which was modeled after a British organization.

They moved into housing located near the farms that they worked. They wore uniform clothing. They established that foundational principles of the labor movement should apply to working women as well as men. In this they demanded that they be paid for their labors that same as the men had been paid. In addition they demanded reasonable working hours, and no more than six working days in a week.

With the return of the men from combat overseas the WLAA was disolved in 1920. It was later reinstated during WW II.

For more information on the WLAA see:

Weiss, Elaine F. THE WOMAN'S LAND ARMY OF AMERICA IN THE GREAT WAR, Potomac Books, December 2008, 315 pages.

Did you know?

[Cosmin M.]

I heard of it before and I did know of it. But not into details. Thanks for sharing!

[phkrause]

No I did not. Thanks for the info.

pk

[Amelia]

And women are still fighting for equal pay for equal work.

[Amelia]

How The Woman's Land Army Fed America

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NPR

Weekend Edition Sunday, March 8, 2009 · In World War I, while U.S. servicemen were fighting "over there," American women from all walks of life moved to rural areas to work as farm laborers. They were known as the Woman's Land Army.

Host Liane Hansen speaks with writer and journalist Elaine Weiss about her book Fruits of Victory: The Woman's Land Army of America in the Great War. The book reveals a piece of American history that has been mainly overlooked.

[GreatLakesGramma]

Well, President Obama has signed it into law as one of his first acts as President. But employers can find all kinds of ways to get around it if they are so inclined. So it remains to be seen whether anything will really change.

[olger]

Yeah, that's what we need. More petty lawsuits from people who's kingdom IS OF this world.

regards,

oG

[Bravus]

Or, alternatively: Just what we need, Christians once more lining up to keep women treated as second-class citizens.