AFRICAN AMERICANS AND WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE

Ending the Progressive Era

Conditions for African Americans

Conditions had not seen as much improvement as expected 35yrs after the abolition of slavery In 1900- Life expectance was 33yrs. 9 of 10 still lived in the South and 3 of 4 were

sharecroppers 44.5% were illiterate- southern states spent a

startlingly less on black education than whiteStrict system of social segregation- Jim Crow

Set of rules designed to separate the races during social events or activities Water fountains, train cars, textbooks, movie theaters,

baseball games, etc.

Lynching

Lynching- murder by a mob without trial, usually by hanging

1882-1968- 4742 were lynched in the south- accused victims of murder or rape but actually offenses were usually minor- boastful comments, or failing to step aside on the sidewalk Often victims were burned, whipped, tortured,

dismembered and their body parts distributed as souvenirs Sanctioned by society- public event that most

participated in and approved of

Federal Inaction

13th Amendment- “Neither slavery, nor involuntary servitude…”- 1865-abolished the institution of slavery Loophole- ‘except as a punishment for crimes’- states began leasing out

convicts to private companies with little to no supervision- abuse and death for most

14th Amendment- “All person’s born or naturalized…” 1868- secured the citizenship of ex-slaves Loophole- courts decided that this was not intended to shield citizens

from the effects of state laws, only national 15th Amendment- “The right of the citizens of the US to vote

shall not be denied…” 1870- States cannot deny the right to vote based on race or color Loophole- States instituted poll taxes and literacy tests to prevent ex-

slaves from voting Not effectively enforced until the Civil Rights Act of 1965

African American Response

Booker T. Washington- Head of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama After the death of Frederick Douglass in 1895, stepped

up as the spokesman for the Af. American community Accepted the reality of segregation- did not push for

political equality Instead wanted Af. Americans to focus on economic

advancementOpponent- W.E.B Dubois- first Af. American to

receive a Ph.D. from Harvard Believed that political and cultural advancement were of

equal or greater importance

Struggle for Suffrage

72 years of struggle by women and their male supporters to gain the vote

1848- first women’s right’s convention in Seneca Falls, New York. Based their petition for the vote on natural rights Issued the Declaration of Sentiments

After the Civil War- the movement splits National Women’s Suffrage Association (NWSA)- Elizabeth Cady

Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Supported broader reform, and believed women’s suffrage should come

before African American rights American Women’s Suffrage Association (AWSA)- Lucy Stone-

Unwilling to compromise with Democrats and believed African American rights should come first

The two would merge to form the NAWSA in 1890

Progress

Several state governments enfranchise women Wyoming- 1869 Utah- 1873 Colorado- 1893 Idaho- 1896 By 1916- 11 Western states had given women the vote

Varying tactics Not always honorable- many claimed that giving the vote to women

would guarantee that white votes outnumbered immigrants and African Americans

Carrie Chapman Catt- 1915 president of NAWSA- “The Winning Plan”- coordinated efforts on state and federal fronts

Alice Paul- National Women’s Party- much more radical- protests, marches, hunger strikes in jail Organized the largest parade in NYC history in 1915- 40,000 women

Opponents of Suffrage

Fear that women would vote for social reform Ban on alcohol End of child labor

Fear of effect it would have on the home That the atmosphere of the home would be destroyed as

women vacated their natural duties in favor of public opportunities

Gender bias Belief that women were too unstable and emotional Taft- "On the whole," he wrote, "it is fair to say that the

immediate enfranchisement of women will increase the proportion of the hysterical element of the electorate."

Success

US entry into World War I, it was decided that women should receive the vote as a war measure

First passed through the House in 1918, then the Senate in 1919, but was not ratified by the states until 1920.

Closure

Think back on the changes that have taken place during the Progressive Era- Answer the following questions on a sheet of paper

Which do you think was the most important? Why?

How are the issues of the Progressive Era still affecting us today?

Works Cited

Mintz, S., & McNeil, S. (2016). The Progressive Era. Digital History. Retrieved January 28, 2016, fromhttp://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?eraID=11&smtID=2