The Tragic Glow of the Radium Girls
And the fight that forever changed the lives of US workers
April 1917. The US had just decided to enter World War 1, and the executives of the United States Radium Corporation (USRC) salivated over the military business they would receive. The defense contractor stood to make incredible profits off their main product — radium-painted “glow” watch faces.
US troops were in dire need of watches with illuminated faces to read during night attacks and couldn’t run the risk of enemy detection. Radium, touted as the “miracle” element, provided a solution. The military awarded the Orange, NJ-based corporation with an exclusive contract, and the bustle in the plant began immediately.
Because the watch dials required hand painting, the USRC executives coveted “small, delicate” feminine hands for the task. Although supervisory roles at the plant were exclusive to men, the entirety of the floor staff consisted of women.
Over 300 women reported to work at the plant — most of them teenagers or young adults. The USRC appealed to the desire to support the troops, and the sisters, wives, and daughters stuck stateside were eager to answer the call. One new employee, 18-year-old Grace Fryer, began work on April 10, 1917. The “radium girl” position was Grace’s first job. Her father, a…
