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Women s suffrage in america
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In history, every social movement had its prominent leader. The African American civil rights movement had Martin Luther King Jr., and the women 's suffrage movement had Susan B. Anthony. As for the LGBTQIA community, the obvious leader would be the man who spearheaded the gay rights movement other than the Stonewall Riot. Milk reached the greatest milestone for the movement by becoming the first openly gay man to hold public office. Elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, Dan White assassinated Milk and Mayor George Moscone not even a year after Milk won the election.
There were many organizations that were working for women’s rights but it was only for white women. After years of struggling it was not until 1920 that all women of different skin tones were able to vote in America (Tolnay 17). During the 1900’s black women were starting to take charge of their lives, many of them moved away from the rural south to urban cities where they can find better jobs. Some African American women were very involved during the women’s suffrage times. A group of black women created organizations like the Alpha Suffrage club of Chicago, there were also suffrage marches organized by Alice Paul’s congressional union in a segregated manner (Tolnay 20).
Many women in the early 1900’s sought for change. Some rose to power and took leadership over many organizations that pushed for equality. Women’s battle for voting rights was specifically led by Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul. These women devoted most of their life to create a foundation which we live upon today. Women’s struggles lasted many decades until they finally achieved some equality under the 19th amendment.
A well known suffragist in women’s history is Susan B Anthony. She gave speeches, led protests, and formed committees to help the public realize that “women are citizens” and therefore should be able to participate in events that male citizens are authorized to (Source
The woman’s suffrage movement of the 1800s and early 1900s as well as the civil rights movements of the 1950s and the 1960s, even though they were made up of a multi-ethnic group of people, the two movements actually had multiple of similarities such as the same goals and concerns. Both group felt appressed by society and both groups demanded basic freedoms and equal opportunities. As both groups sough to have their demand met, other issues became the major national focus. The main difference between the two movements is the fact, that in achieving their goal, African-Americans were calling for the enforcement from the government of their voting rights and end to segregation which still existed in the South, while the suffragists were calling for the right to vote for women.
In 1866 Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the American Equal Rights Association (AERA). “According to its Constitution, it 's purpose was to secure equal rights to all American citizens, especially the rights of suffrage, irrespective race, color, and sex.” (Wikipedia.org) The two women who
Women were treated like children for years before the 19th Amendment was passed. They were called names such as “childlike” and were told they “weren’t capable of independent thinking”(“Why Women Couldn’t Vote”). And yet, it took almost a century for people to actually take this cause seriously. The group that supported this cause were called Suffragists. This group of women were fighting and using their rights to their abilities to try and pass the 19th Amendment.
This movement gained most of its support through activists such as Elizabeth Stanton. She gave many rousing speeches, including the Seneca Falls Declaration. Here, she speaks directly to anti-suffragists explaining why the constitution justifies equal rights for women, particularly the right to vote. The expansion of these basic rights are what made this into a democratic reform. Abolition undoubtedly had the most dramatic impact on America’s history.
While the movement was focused primarily on gaining the right to vote for women, it had broader implications for the fight for civil rights and equality. African American women played a vital role in the suffrage movement, and their contributions helped to shape the movement's goals and strategies. In her book "African American Women in the Struggle for the Vote, 1850-1920," historian Rosalyn Terborg-Penn argues that African American women were among the most dedicated and effective leaders of the women's suffrage movement (Terborg-Penn, 1998, p. 165). Despite facing discrimination and exclusion from many suffrage organizations, African American women organized their own clubs and societies to fight for their right to vote. These organizations were instrumental in building coalitions and alliances with other women's groups, and they helped to create a more diverse and inclusive suffrage
In his speech he explained why they wanted the right to vote, “If the Negro knows enough to pay taxes to support government, he knows enough to vote; taxation and representation should go together... ” (“African Americans,” 2016). In 1869, when Congress debated on the Fifteenth Amendment, the first ever black national meeting of African Americans took place in the convention in Washington, D.C and those who attended the convention spent time meeting with member of Congress, encouraging them to pass a strong Amendment guaranteeing black male suffrage worldwide (“African Americans,” 2016). Democrats feared ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, because they believed that it would create 170,000 loyal black Republican voters in the North and West and to vote against it, they claimed that it restricted the states’ rights to run their own election and also that the low literacy of the black population would affect the votes (“African Americans,” 2016). Despite all Democratic oppositions, the Republicans won ratification victories and in March 30, 1869, President Grant officially proclaimed the Fifteenth Amendment as part of the Constitution.
Black activism rose greatly during the Reconstruction. Before the dreadful Civil war, African Americans could vote in only the higher Northern states, because of segregation Sadly, they had no office holders. Because of this, many blacks organized Equal Rights Leagues throughout the South, during the first two years of the Reconstruction. Regulating the lives of freed people, the Congress created “black codes”. Black activism grew a lot!
(Dubois, 189) For instance, African American women also began their suffrage by forming the National Association of Colored Women in 1903. " …with links to the Democratic Party and the labor movement, A Women's Henry George Society, and a female wing of William Randolph Hearst's Independence League." (Dubois 189) This quote presents several of representatives that women had done to the whole
In 1848 Black women made their first bid for equality in meetings with black men. “At one meeting of the National Convention of Colored Freedmen in Cleveland, Ohio a black woman proposed that women delegates be allowed to speak and vote as equals, eventually, they reclassified eligible voters as “persons” instead of men and women were allowed to participate equally”. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton changed the 15th Amendment by supporting that it should voting rights to former slaves, and that it should also include women. The northern part of the country often gave more rights to black women, the southern part of the country was sadly more close minded and still saw women as incapable and not as good as men. During the Civil War white and free black women in the North established soldiers’ aid societies.
(Dubois, 189) For instance, African American women also began their suffrage by forming the National Association of Colored Women in 1903. " …with links to the Democratic Party and the labor movement, A Women 's Henry George Society, and a female wing of William Randolph Hearst 's Independence League." (Dubois 189) This quote presents several of representatives that women had done to the whole society.
The civil war had a very profound effect on America and what it has become today. With the civil war many changes took place such as 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment. Women’s rights were put forth into motion. Along with Reconstruction laws being passes and the push back that these laws caused. During this time the south became even more divided and started to take things into account and create their own laws in regards to racism.
