During the feminist movement, there were a few major concerns for women. The concerns were centered around gender issues, women’s sexual liberation, reproductive rights, job opportunities and safety for women, violence against women, and changes in custody and divorce laws. While through our in-class lessons we learned a magnitude of information concerning this monumental movement, the articles 100 years towards suffrage: an overview and the video untold stories of black women in the suffrage movement provide new perspectives concerning the fight for women’s rights and finding their voice is society after so many years of silence.

One can begin by looking at the article, 100 years of suffrage which provides the long timeline of the journey towards women’s voting rights. The movement dates as far back as 1776 with Abigail Adams who insisted her husband and the men writing the declaration of independence include women however women are deliberately excluded in the wording of all men are created equal. One is able to see the progress, as well as setbacks women in America faced as they fought for their voices By 1878 women’s suffrage amendment, is introduced to Congress but it wasn’t until 1919 when the 19th amendment was officially signed into law Although women were granted the right to vote, they still did not have equal rights as men, which led to the equal rights amendment being proposed which prohibits discrimination based on gender. This amendment was never added to the constitution and today is only written legislation in 38 states.

As we think about the struggles of women over time it’s vital to also acknowledge the struggles of minority women, who had to live in America as double minorities. While white women advocated for rights alongside these women, they in no way considered African American women as part of the movement and could care less if black women had the same rights. The untold stories of black women provide a look into the women’s suffrage movement through the eyes of an African American woman. Despite the hardships women of color faced during this movement, there were many great women that arose as a result of this movement. These women include Ida B Wells who sought to combat prejudice and fight for equality and spoke on behalf of African Americans, especially the women who didn’t have a direct place in the conversation of women’s suffrage. However, the rise of black women didn’t stop with Ida B Wells, black women everywhere began to organize their own groups such as the national association of colored women, which focused on the advancement of African American women. The rise of Black Sororities also played a large role in making changes for women of color. This is just scratching the surface of the powerful women who stepped out to make a change in their communities

In conclusion, society has made a great amount of progress especially in the community of African American women. Although we continue to fight for other liberties and against systemic oppression women especially black women have made their place in society and will continue to do so for years to come.

Response 6

19th and early 20th feminist concerns about woman suffrage 

One hundred years toward suffrage . The women’s suffrage movement made the question of women’s voting rights into an important political issue in the 19th century. The struggle was particularly intense in Great Britain and in the United States, but those countries were not the first to grant women the right to vote, at least not on a national basis.

The article gave an outline as to what happened each year as it relates to woman suffrage from the 1770s – 1923 . 

Woman were face with not being able to vote all these years up until the 19 century . During that time the  National Woman’s Party first proposes the Equal Rights Amendment to eliminate discrimination on the basis of gender. It has never been ratified.

The untold story of black women in the suffrage movement This video shows the views of female suffrage leaders Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Both are well-known suffrage heroes. They believed that white women should have the right to vote before African American men in 1870. Doing so contradicts the core concept of equality of the civil rights movement. Many people also forget that in 1913, the Women’s Suffrage March in Washington, DC separated white participants from African-Americans, and they were told to walk at the end of the parade. Although women’s right to vote was approved in 1920, some states prevented African Americans from voting, and the civil rights movement worked hard to correct this. Although activists strive for equal voting,

The suffrage movement has always had prominent figures like Susan B Anthony be the forefront and face of feminism. Whenever the history of feminism is mentioned, it’s almost certain that you’ll hear the name Susan B Anthony. What she represents however doesn’t encapsulate her actions during the height of the movement. Anthony was in fact an exclusionary feminist who held racial bias despite being presented as a leader who should be praised for her strides towards equality for women. Women like Ida B. Wells routinely and persistently combatted the silencing of black women in the suffrage movement by forming organizations like the NAACP, the Alpha Suffrage Club and the National Association for Colored Women’s Club. When told that black women would have to march in the back, she would make her way to the front. Black suffragettes were not included in the fight for political equality such as the right to vote. Feminists like Anthony voiced dissatisfaction over black men gaining the right to vote before black women, showing how Anthony’s values were not rooted in equality for all women but rather White women’s proximity in power to white men. Liberation for all women was not the goal among suffragettes like Anthony. Genawang mentioned in her response that “The quote I found in that youtube was I will cut off this right arm of mine before I will ever work or demand the ballot for the negro and not the women.” Telling us that basically women really deserve to vote more than Black Men.” A lot of white feminists viewed womanhood and women’s rights under a white lens, as they were the default. Blackness in a lot of cases has a hyperfocus on black men rather than black men and women. I feel like this is why in a lot of movements, the needs of black women are often overlooked and disregarded. Especially within the feminist movement, the structure of it within America makes it so the needs of whiteness takes precedent over any other race/s needs. For example I remember freeing the nipple being a nationwide controversy and it garnering so much attention, however when thousands upon thousands of Indigenous women went missing, there was little coverage if any. When it comes to the needs of women of other races, the outrage is less collective and more individualized and because of this it means that issues that plague women of color often need to rely on social media to spread awareness and keep momentum. However I believe that feminism has gotten better at addressing multiple issues at once and how they affect people differently. There is more discussions on how fetishization affects women across all races, or how our society continues to endanger trans women by centering cis opinions constantly. I do think it’s because more women of all backgrounds  have come forward and voiced their reality across social media. Growing up I realized that I had shared issues with white women when it came to sexism but in all actuality, my experience was nearly the exact opposite of theirs. While white women have the privilege of being infantilized and seen as hyperfeminine as a default, my entire life consisted of trying to prove my femininity and that my skin color did not mean I was immune to pain, tragedy, or trauma. I’ve noticed that while white women fight to be seen as strong and equal to men, black women have tried to dismantle the harmful strong black woman stereotype we are routinely placed under.

When I watch the women’s suffrage movement of untold stories on youtube tell us a lot about the women that are of a certain color like Black women and people not only that they also helped all the other women. The video explains a lot about the suffrage movement how women of color don’t have the right to vote. While they made speeches to stand up for themselves not only that back then men can vote. When they said young college women also find it important to vote and I like how they also contributed but they can only stand in the back actually it is better than not marching at all. Plus they were brave that also helped women out and led to a lot of women fighting to end slavery. The quote I found in that youtube was I will cut off this right arm of mine before I will ever work or demand the ballot for the negro and not the women.” Telling us that basically women really deserve to vote more than Black Men. Overall thinking of being a woman, in general, wasn’t as easy as you thought. Every time I think about it most of the women don’t even stand up for themselves just because they’re scared. But telling everyone about how women face different challenges of how they had suffered. Plus everyone can have the right to vote now no matter you are a woman or a man or race. Having a voice to share how everyone’s opinions matter to the world is a good thing so people can understand one another. I agree with Celina Waver SnapShot showing the women having power with hand gestures and how we are strong. And not weak and can stand up for one another. We can also vote and work not because we have to stay home parents we can choose to or not since a lot had changed over the past years. I had also known that we don’t really have a president as women like Hillary and a lot of people think there should not be a girl president somehow thought how they wouldn’t do as good. But in my opinion women, the president can also show that they can help the world too. Also, this can help our next generation because it passes on and how they will learn how being a woman is like in the past. But she not only lost their parents and also have to take care of siblings thought that it isn’t so easy and sad at the same time. But she move to another place called Tennessee and got a better job pay as a teacher. Also, I liked that she made the free speech so people can know and newspaper most of the time they look at the newspaper to understand a lot. Since a lot of adult looks at the newspaper each day and see something new. And media especially teenagers use to look at information and resources.

Response to Karina Cruz 

I agree with Karina Cruz’s snapshot because I believe that all women should have equal rights that men have. Back then before the 19th amendment it was thought that women did not have a lot of rights. The right to vote was one of them. Women of color were a part of this problem. According Sarah Seidman “ The suffrage movement and the 19th amendment discriminated against many women of color. In New York, the suffrage movement attracted a diverse range of women, including Sarah J.S. Garnet, who founded the Equal Suffrage League in Kings County in the late 1880s and organized for the vote through the National Association of Colored Women, and Mabel Lee, who led a contingent of Chinese and Chinese-American women in a suffrage parade down Fifth Avenue in 1917. Yet white-led suffrage organizations in New York and elsewhere usually excluded Black women and sometimes told them to march at the back of parades”. This explains that during the suffrage movement many black women were discriminated against. Therefore they were excluded from voting. While Mabel Lee and Sarah organized for the vote through the National association of colored women, in New York and in other places black women were not allowed to vote. 

It is important for everyone to vote because it is important to have a voice in society. We all should have a voice no matter the sex and no matter the race. By voting we have the ability to change the world. For example, years ago when Trump was president many people were upset that Clinton was not the president. But the truth was that even though Trump is not a good president he was selected because many people were on his side and they voted for him because they. The thing about voting is that even if one person doesn’t vote we are setting ourselves up not knowing that this vote can change our lives forever. If more people had put in their votes we would’ve had a better country. Many things would have improved if more people had cast their vote for their right president ( Hillary). For example her plans were to raise middle class incomes, expand women’s rights, improve health care and more. However because of a few votes we have ruined our chances to have a better economic plan. According to the 19th Amendment “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

In conclusion, I believe that all of us should have rights. Although we are in the 21st century many people of color are still being excluded and ignored. Crime is a prime example. Whenever there was a crime against a white person it would always be on the news and always would be investigated. However whenever a crime is committed against an african american it would be ignored or it will be only on social medias like Instagram, Facebook etc.. All of our voices should be heard because our voices can help change the world and the atrocities we face in it. 

The video “Untold Stories of Black Women in the suffrage movement” focuses on a big impact on the rights for not just black women but women in general and for black people, in general, that was born into slavery. It focuses on the period of time such as the American Civil War in 1870 African American men were granted the right to vote with the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment however poll taxes and literacy tests fear intimidation and later Jim Crow laws were used in former slaveholding states to keep them from exercising their right to vote at the age of 16. The women’s suffrage movement was a life-work that included fighting to both end slavery and property ownership of women. How men were allowed to vote before women, it was unfair because women should have a say in society. Different types of protests were created by college students such as marches. During those protests, black women were allowed to march only in the back. Which was unfair because they are still humans fighting for the same freedom and to be treated as equals. By those protests, women were allowed to go to school and earn their degrees and were allowed to vote. Even today women are still protesting and fighting for their rights in today’s society because women are still not being treated as equally and being treated like property.

I agree with Karina Cruz’s post because it focuses on the different types of women asking for people to vote. It’s not just one specific race asking for people to go out, It shows that every woman is going through it. The reading “One Hundred Years toward Suffrage: An Overview” focuses on a timeline of some of the memorable things in history that impacted women or just people in society such as “1833 – Oberlin College became the first coeducational college in the United States. In 1841, Oberlin awarded the first academic degrees to three women. Early graduates include Lucy Stone and Antoinette Brown”, “1839 – Mississippi passes the first Married Women’s Property Act”. “1923 – The National Woman’s Party first proposes the Equal Rights Amendment to eliminate discrimination on the basis of gender. It has never been ratified”. Looking at this timeline showed me how many things women overcame because they weren’t allowed to do half of the things we’re doing in society today, such as speaking their mind, accepting their gender, voting, having education, or choosing not to have children. Another thing that changed my perspective is how black women were suffering just as much or more than white women but history class mostly focused on how the white was suffering and how deeply it impacts them, however, they weren’t talking about the violence black women face for fighting for their rights. I just learned that they were only allowed to march if they stayed in the back. 

The video “untold stories of black women in the suffrage movement” by the KD Hall Foundation was a great way for me to learn a bit more about the suffrage movement and some of the women that made possible this movement and how they contributed . I personally didn’t know who was Ida Wells in how she became part of the alpha suffrage club, how she march in Washington D.C despite being asked to not march in the back. How she launched a campaign to against the brutality of lynching. She had a very hard time losing her parents at a young age and taking care of her brothers and despite all the obstacles she had she manage to go to college is verry impressive, she truly inspires me.  

Looking at the time line and how it took over more then 100 year for women to vote and even more time for black women, really gets you thinking all that women had to struggle and fight for in order to be able to vote today and yet some women today now days  don’t even see how important is to vote and some choose not to.  

Looking at the snapshots most images are of women marching and holding a banner and years later we still go out and march because are rights are continually  being challenge and that we will not be silent and our voices are being heard. 

Allison Williams
10/18/21
GWS 100
Section 170W

Introduction to Safiya Saidah Charles’ snapshot- In the snapshot, we see a photograph of Ida B. Wells that was modified with colors on her clothing as well as the background. I chose this snapshot because the colors stood out from the snapshots because normally, whenever we search through historical images they are monochromatic. Another point that I liked in this image is that the pattern on her clothing contains flowers which in my opinion grabs the viewer’s attention. In the film named “Ida B. Wells: A Passion For Justice”, it is learned that Wells was born in 1862 to her parents who were slaves. She worked as schoolteacher to educate African Americans while they were not allowed to read or write during slavery. Wells was physically removed from the ladies’ car and was told to go to the smoking car of the train. She fought back at the conductor but to no avail she was removed from the train as the whites were cheering at the situation. This leads to Wells to file a complaint to the court due to the violation of the law that she did not follow the rule towards black people during segregation. After the court battle, Wells won the fight and was given $500. But her victory did not last long, because the railroad company took the case to appeal which caused the decision to be undone and Wells lost the fight as she hoped for equality towards blacks. I feel disappointed for her at the fact that she and the other blacks were mistreated due to segregation. Blacks have the right to choose to sit wherever they wish. Wells became a journalist after losing her job as a schoolteacher due to exposing the school’s mistreatment and corruption towards teaching black people, she shared her story about being mistreated and the article itself was published to newspapers. According to the reading “One Hundred Years toward Suffrage: An Overview” by the author E. Susan Barber, Ida B. Wells created and joined an anti-lynching movement throughout the US after three black men were assassinated in Memphis. The lynching movement that was used as a tool to repress black Americans in the United States was inhumane at best. The movement against lynching that Ida B. Wells was such an integral part of, raised the money and support needed to pass a bill to eradicate the killing of innocent people. Her courage and strength saved so many lives, and was certainly pivotal in the fight for civil rights in America that continue to evolve. I agree with her decision for starting a movement that is against lynching blacks because this type of treatment it’s beyond causing problems, it’s just wrong. It also affects black people in society due to rules that relates about segregation. In the video “Untold Stories of Black Women in the suffrage movement”, it discusses other famous activists besides Wells like Susan B. Anthony and Anna Julia Cooper who were involved at the women’s suffrage movement help to put an end to both slavery and ownership of women in history. Like Wells, Cooper was born into slavery yet she grew up and worked her way through into college and graduated in the year 1884 and she also worked as an educator in the 1930s. I agree with her decision of being part of the suffrage movement because she ensured that the movement that will put a stop to segregation and allow blacks to have equality as other people in public to do whenever they wish in life.