"She used her personal experience to tell a different version of World War II history, one that didn't sugarcoat the discrimination that Black workers experienced during the war effort. She did so with great charisma, humor and vivid storytelling that quickly caught the public's attention and made visitors fall in love with her."
"Her life spanned many pivotal moments of the last century, from the Great Migration to World War II, when Soskin worked as a file clerk for Boilermakers Union, a segregated union auxiliary representing Black shipyard workers. After leaving the Richmond shipyards, Soskin and her first husband, Mel Reid, opened Reid's Records in Berkeley in 1945, one of the first Black-owned record stores in California."
"Betty leaves behind a powerful legacy for all of us and certainly within the National Park Service, said Kelly English, the park's former manager of interpretation, education and outreach, at Sunday's memorial. Her thoughtful, introspective musings about the Civil [rights movement and historical narratives continue to influence how institutions present inclusive histories]."
Betty Reid Soskin was a pioneering figure who lived through pivotal 20th-century moments, from the Great Migration through World War II. She worked as a file clerk for the segregated Boilermakers Union representing Black shipyard workers in Richmond. After the war, she and her first husband opened Reid's Records in Berkeley in 1945, one of California's first Black-owned record stores and eventually the largest gospel music retailer. At age 85, Soskin reinvented herself as a National Park Service ranger at Richmond's Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. Using personal experience and vivid storytelling, she challenged conventional narratives by highlighting the discrimination Black workers faced during wartime. Her charismatic presence and authentic perspective attracted widespread public attention and transformed how the museum presented history.
Read at www.berkeleyside.org
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