The Philadelphia Homefront
As one of the key port cities along the Eastern Coast of the United States, Philadelphia was one of the first cities to become mobilized. As men left for war, the women and the older members of society took their places in shipyards and factories. The city's minorities were also given a chance to rise and become part of the middle class for the very first time. African Americans that were migrating out of the South in search of well-paying jobs often came to Philadelphia. Most of the unemployment that had run rampant throughout the city vanished, and the trade and industry of the city was given such a huge boost that Philadelphia's economy became greater than it had been before the Great Depression. Propaganda, such as the poster to the left, sold everything from war bonds to housing. The newspapers, movies, and radios kept Philadelphia's citizens up to date on how the war was progressing. Although supplies were limited, even in one of the more profitable United States commercial cities, but the people took up the cause, planting 'victory gardens' and making do with what they had.