Honoring the Life and Legacy of Betty Reid Soskin, National Park Service Ranger
Soskin officially retired from the National Park Service in 2022 at the age of 100, yet her contributions to public history extended far beyond her years in uniform. Remarkably, she did not begin her work with the Park Service until she was in her eighties. She played a vital role in shaping the vision of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, helping ensure that the stories of African Americans and other historically overlooked communities were included in the narrative of World War II. Through her interpretive programs, visitors were introduced to a more complete and honest account of the American home front—one grounded in lived experience and careful research.
Born in 1921, Soskin’s life spanned nearly every major chapter of modern American history. She grew up in a multicultural family and witnessed firsthand the sweeping changes of the twentieth century, from wartime mobilization to cultural transformation. During World War II, she worked in a segregated labor environment, an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to fairness and inclusion. In 1945, she co-founded a music store that became a cultural landmark and remained in operation for decades. Later, she served in local and state government roles, where she continued advocating for thoughtful representation and community engagement. Across every chapter of her life, she remained committed to preserving stories that might otherwise have been forgotten. Continue reading…
