World War II Glamour: The Image of the Female Geologist, and the Newspaper Pin-Up

Pin-up culture was popular during the World War II period and into the postwar period. Profiles of working women geologists read like pin-up material and contained similar images. Geologists like June King had profiles published about them in popular magazines that emphasized the glamorous aspects of her job working in the field, as well as her beauty and scientific expertise. Oil companies and newspapers wanted to promote the glamour of women working in wartime geology. Oil company trade publications published profiles of women working in the office, production, and the field, which emphasized their femininity, professionalism, and deep commitment to traditional female roles and maintaining a home. This chapter examines the role of African-American women in wartime geology and the inequalities of geological education during the middle of the twentieth century.