Jordan Rumfelt Dr. Judson Women In the City 09-26-14 Essay 4 The effects of the Civil War—on individuals—was almost impossible to predict considering how unstable the environment was. It was evident that African-Americans would gain more freedom and that men would come home to their families, in which women had taken numerous jobs. When people think of oppression they always think of African-Americans, but women in general never gain the observance that is deserved. Since the beginning of time, women have been oppressed and thought to be less worthy than that of a male. The late 19th century and early 20th century was a time period in which both African-Americans and women in general were experiencing opportunities for advancement and change within society.
This paper will explain some key factors in the views of women all around the world; why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stopped making progress, explaining the main causes of women’s leadership roles, and offering interesting solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential. Beginning in the early 1800s, many women took a leading role in the struggle for black rights. Black men had more rights than these black women and black men were not willing to let black women have an equal place at the table. This eventually abolished slavery then, led to the suffragist movement, which led to women winning the right to vote, and many other things. This led women’s rights movement of the 60’s and still occurs today.
The suffragette movement gave rise in Britain in 1860 by mainly middleclass women and it was a political struggle for women to be given the right to vote. The exclusion of women from the right to vote in parliamentary elections was the most striking example of inequality between men and women. In the 1860’s there were many ways in which women suffered inequality and discrimination such as married women not legally having the right to an independent existence. However this was mainly middle and upper class women as working class women due to daily struggles had to take on paid employment as well as her usual duties. However it is important to make clear that the women’s suffrage was not unique to Britain, similar movements had emerged in other countries in the second half of the nineteenth century.
In the early 20th century as people began to spread throughout the United States and encounter people of different origins the meetings didn't flow so smoothly. Before the Civil War, introduction of minorities to white-native lands wasn't going to be accepted easily. These minorities consisting of African Americans and Asians were seeking opportunities of refuge by reconstructing their lives socially and economically. It was especially a struggle for women in a male dominated society for who were seeking equality and liberation. In the books To 'Joy My Freedom, Unbound Feet and The Rise of the New Woman, the authors had similar discussions of the struggles women encountered during a time period of emotional and physical abuse.
Ever since Madame C.J. Walker became a millionaire selling hair and beauty products it became clear that black women felt the need to tweak themselves to feel attractive. Hair had to be straighter and skin lighter, blacks have been brainwashed by the images of Europeans and what they considered to be beautiful. After hundreds of years of being told they were inferior and being raped and beaten it’s hard not to believe it. The film, “The Soul of Black Girls”, candidly showed how these thoughts are still embedded in the minds of African-American women today.
Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton discussed the possibility of a women's rights convention when they were prevented from speaking at an anti-slavery convention in London in 1840. However, after the Civil War, some of the suffragettes were outraged when black men got the vote but not white women. Susan B. Anthony wrote indignantly about: "Patrick and Sambo and Wong Tong making laws for the daughters of Adams and Jefferson, women of wealth and education". As with the suffragette movement in the UK, there was a strong class element to the struggle. The suffragette movement gained strength in America after black men got the vote (though most southern black men were effectively disenfranchised by literacy laws, the poll tax, threats and intimidation etc).
Women’s rights wasn’t an issue that was profoundly acknowledged until the late 18th, early 19th century. Early feminists emerged from the abolition movement. The issue was brought out while being compared to the situation of African Americans. These foremothers argued that men were to blame for women’s suffrage, and the reason there were so many restrictions on their rights was because of the men. They came to the conclusion that the relationship between the sexes was unjust, controlling and discriminatory.
Eventually Truth became a mother to numerous children, most of whom were sold as slaves to various families. In 1826, when her master refused to honor his offer of freedom in exchange for her hard work, Truth took her youngest child and fled. In 1827, she attained legal freedom pursuant to a New York statute. Truth moved to New York City and became involved in organizations assisting in the attainment of rights for both blacks and women. Though it was well known that Truth could neither read nor write, she overcame such limitations by becoming a powerfully adept activist fighting racial discrimination, and persuasively championing for blacks' rights to vote.
And one of these “essential rights” was an education. Women and African Americans had little to no schooling. Although this country was founded on the belief that “every man is considered equal,” there were a lot of unequal citizens in the U.S. In 1848, women started a revolution known as the Women’s Rights Movement. To let their voices be heard the women held conventions despite the arising opposition.
Women’s Suffrage in America Since the beginning of time women have had a different, sometimes unequal role than men. All over the world women have struggled and still struggle for equality. More specifically, in the United States of America women have really made efforts to justify their human rights. Since the first colonies women have expressed the right to vote and been denied or ignored by men. The Declaration of Independence’s wording specifies “All men are created equal.” Ever since then women have been determined to rewrite those words.