The National WWII Museum Celebrates Women’s History Month
Published 7:30 am Sunday, March 5, 2023
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Throughout March, The National WWII Museum celebrates Women’s History Month by honoring the crucial role of women and their contribution to American victory in World War II through a schedule of free educational programs, virtual content, a new special exhibit and more.
As World War II began, American women lived through the war while caring for and worrying about loved ones far from home. By the end of the war, more than 19 million women were in the workforce and 350,000 women had served in the US Armed Forces.
The Museum’s virtual and in-person programming will feature discussions on women’s wartime contributions by leading scholars, educators and authors. Virtual programs will be broadcast live and also available for on-demand viewing on the Museum’s YouTube channel.
To learn more and to register for the events below, visit www.nationalww2museum.org.
This is a free, virtual experience.
Complete the online request form to book this program for your group.
When Americans were called to action, women “did their part” despite stereotyping and discrimination. The war spurred many women to enter the workforce for the first time, all while managing a household alone and upholding wartime duties. Women answered the call of Uncle Sam and enlisted in military auxiliary groups, fulfilling critical roles stateside and abroad. Hear accounts from real Rosie the Riveters and women near the battle fronts. Learn about the lasting legacy of women’s contribution to the war effort.
Wednesday Matinee Luncheons, March 8–June 21, 2023
11:45 a.m. Seating | 12:45 p.m. Showtime
This is a ticketed, in-person event.
Banter, jokes, jazz and blues abound when music legends Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald get together. These two iconic musicians are elegantly portrayed by New Orleans’ own Kathleen Moore and Chloé Marie Johnson, respectively, and backed by the talented Victory Trio. Enjoy classic hits like “Give Me the Simple Life,” “God Bless the Child,” “Stormy Weather,” and more from music royalty!
March 8 | 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
This is a free, in-person and virtual event.
Author Lynne Olson and Steph Hinnershitz, PhD, Senior Historian in the Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy, will discuss Olson’s just-released book about a young woman who helped the French Resistance against the occupying Nazis and then spearheaded one of the most important archaeological preservation efforts in the post-war period.
March 17–September 24, 2023
This is a free, in-person exhibit with a Museum Campus Pass.
Through a collection of over 500 rare historical objects and film clips, this family-friendly exhibit explores how one of America’s most beloved entertainment companies helped achieve Allied victory. The exhibit will include the role of female artists who joined the company during the war and needed to take on new roles to support the efforts. Organized by The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, California, The Walt Disney Studios and World War II will be on display in the Museum’s Senator John Alario, Jr. Special Exhibition Hall from March 17, 2023, through September 24, 2023. The exhibit is generously supported by Bob and Sheryl Merrick, TruWealth Advisors, LLC, David DeVido, Dale E. and Janice Davis Johnston Family Foundation, Richard and Kathy Ramsey, Bobby and Sheila Weil, and The Honorable Christine Whitman.
March 21 | 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
This is a free, in-person event.
In commemoration of National Rosie the Riveter Day, join filmmakers Tessa Germaine and Taylor Whittington, along with a WWII Rosie, for a discussion about their historical film, Rosie, as a part of the Museum’s Reel History Film Series. Special guest will be Rosie the Riveter Mae Krier, who will also celebrate her 97th birthday! Krier built B-17 Flying Fortress and B-29 Superfortress aircraft during the war and helped lead the way for Rosies to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.
Weekends, March 24–April 2, 2023
This is a ticketed, in-person event.
New Orleans singer and entertainer Anaïs St. John brings her latest cabaret show to BB’s Stage Door Canteen. Through song and spoken word, St. John brings to life Josephine Baker’s extraordinary journey from humble beginnings in East St. Louis to the stages of Jazz Age Paris, to her wartime service in France and North Africa, and to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. Josephine Baker: From Creole Goddess to Siren of the Resistance, created for and starring Anaïs St. John, was written by Denise Altobello with musical direction by Harry Mayronne.
March 29 | 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
This is a free, in-person and virtual event.
Join us for a special conversation with Elizabeth Murphy and Chloe Melas, daughter and granddaughter of late WWII veteran and author Frank Murphy, as they discuss Luck of the Draw: My Story of the Air War in Europe. Beginning on August 17, 1942, American heavy bomber crews of the Eighth Air Force took off for combat in the hostile skies over occupied Europe. The final price was staggering: 4,300 B-17s and B-24s failed to return, nearly 21,000 men were taken prisoner or interned in a neutral country and a further 17,650 men made the ultimate sacrifice. Frank Murphy became one of the few survivors of the 100th Bombardment Group, nicknamed The Bloody Hundredth. Learn more about his flight missions, how he survived being shot down in his B-17 and about his 19-month captivity as a German POW.
The National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today—so that future generations will know the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as America’s National WWII Museum, the institution celebrates the American spirit, the teamwork, optimism, courage and sacrifices of the men and women who fought on the battlefront and served on the Home Front. For more information on TripAdvisor’s #1 New Orleans attraction, call 877-813-3329 or 504-528-1944 or visit nationalww2museum.org.
