Betty Reid Soskin’s life defied the idea that history is something that simply happens to us. Born in 1921, she moved through segregation, wartime labor, the civil rights era, and political change, always asking who was being left out of the story. In her eighties, when many begin to step back, she stepped forward into the National Park Service and reshaped a national narrative.
At Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, she insisted that Black workers, women of color, and marginalized communities be seen as central, not footnotes. She drew from her own experiences and meticulous research, turning tours into intimate reckonings with the past. Beyond the park, she opened a beloved music store, served in government, and mentored younger generations. Her death at 104 closes a remarkable life, but her charge remains: remember fully, tell honestly, and refuse to let any story disappear in silence.
