Description
Margaret Henssler grew up in Clear Lake, Iowa during the Great Depression. In this interview, she shares her memories of the Dust Bowl, the New Deal and the economy in Iowa, and cultural experiences such as listening to the radio and attending church. She recalls the start of the war and her family’s move to the Bay area, where her father became a ship fitter. She also discusses work options for women, military presence in the Bay Area, living conditions in shipyard housing, working in the shipyards during the war, and rationing. She concludes with her memories of the war’s end, the incarceration of Japanese Americans, and race relations in Richmond, California.