economie

Vintage photos show how the role of women in the workforce has evolved in the last 100 years

A woman works at an early model desktop computer made by Servus, circa the 1970s.

  • During the early 20th century, women’s employment was affected by war and advancements in tech.
  • In the 1960s and 1970s, women were able to expand their horizons and career opportunities. 
  • Vintage photos from the past 100 years show how their roles have changed.

Working women have come a long way in the last 100 years. 

In the

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the women’s labor force participation rate to hit a 33-year low in January 2021.
A woman operates a small floral business.

A recent report by the Independent Women’s Forum said that in 16% of all US households, women are the primary or sole “breadwinners.” The report also revealed that 29% of households reported that both male and female spouses earned the same amount of money.

More women than ever are also starting their own businesses and choosing entrepreneurship over traditional 9-to-5 jobs. 

Wells Fargo reported that 14 million women-owned businesses make up 39.1% of all US businesses, a 13.6% increase from 2019.