Equality and Empowerment of Minority Groups (J.B.)

By jbrewer07

  • The 13th Amendment

    The 13th Amendment
    The thirteenth amendment states that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (1). In short, the thirteenth amendment abolished slavery in the United States. This was a huge turn towards the beginning of equality for African Americans in the U.S. From here, the fight for equality only intensified.

  • The 14th Amendment

    The 14th Amendment
    Next was the 14th amendment. The amendment states that all people, “born or naturalized in the United States … are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law(2)."This gave former slaves citizenship, right to due process, and equal protection under the law.

  • The 15th Amendment

    The 15th Amendment
    The 15th Amendment granted all men the ability to vote, as it declares, "The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude(3)." Specifically, this had a major impact on the male African American community as it gained them one step closer to political equality in involvement.

  • The Enforcement Act of 1875

    The Enforcement Act of 1875
    The Enforcement Act of 1875, also known as the Civil Rights Act of 1875, called for equal accommodations in public settings for all races (4). In response, the segregation of use for things such as water fountains, seating in public places, or public transportation was no longer permitted and signs calling for segregation were removed. The amendment also permitted African American exclusion from jury service.

  • The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)

    The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)
    In 1890 the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was formed as a merger of two former woman suffrage associations (6). The association was formed to work on woman equality and suffrage issues. One of the main focuses at the time was to gain women voting rights. During this time, woman were more commonly working for income outside of their usual in-home responsibilities, as well as gaining higher educations by attending college or universities.

  • Women's Suffrage Parade

    Women's Suffrage Parade
    On March 13th, 1913, over 5,000 woman marched for women's suffrage in Washington, D.C. The march was one of the most significant national events for women's suffrage, led by activists involved with the National American Woman Suffrage Association (6). The march gained a lot of attention, as it had thousands of participants marching up Pennsylvania Avenue with horses, floats, and music bands. The news of the march spread fast to news outlets and gained more support towards the cause.

  • Jeanette Rankin becomes the First Congresswoman

    Jeanette Rankin becomes the First Congresswoman
    Jeannette Rankin was a huge influence to woman in the early 1900s. An activist in women's suffrage, pacifist, and spokeswoman for overall equality, Rankin also became the first woman to be elected into Congress(7) Not only was this a breakthrough for woman during a time women were fighting for more equality next to men, but it also sparked inspiration for more woman to attempt positions in politics. Rankin held a seat in Congress for two successful years until moving on to campaigning for women.

  • 19th Amendment

    19th Amendment
    The 19th Amendment states, "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." This was a breakthrough all women's activists were waiting for. After years of marching and calling for voting equality next to men, women could finally vote in the United States. While there were still many inequalities to be sorted, this was a major win for women. They now held a voice of political opinion next to men.

  • Footnotes

    1. Amendment XIII - The United States Constitution. (1865, December 6). Retrieved from https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendments/amendment-xiii
    2. Amendment XIV - The United States Constitution. (1868, July 9). Retrieved from https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendments/amendment-xiv
    3. Amendment XV - The United States Constitution. (1969, February 26). Retrieved from https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendments/amendment-xv

  • Footnotes (cont)

    1. Corbett, P. S., Volker, J., Lund, J. M., Pfannestiel, T. J., Vickery, P. S., Waskiewicz, S., … Rice University. (2016). 16.4. In U.S. history. Retrieved from https://cnx.org/contents/p7ovuIkl@3.37:oL9PqrP4@3/The-Collapse-of-Reconstruction
    2. Corbett, P. S., Volker, J., Lund, J. M., Pfannestiel, T. J., Vickery, P. S., Waskiewicz, S., … Rice University. (2016). 21.3. In U.S. history. Retrieved from https://cnx.org/contents/p7ovuIkl@3.37:jWahuKx2@3/New-Voices-for-Women-and-African-Americans

  • Footnotes (cont)

    1. Corbett, P. S., Volker, J., Lund, J. M., Pfannestiel, T. J., Vickery, P. S., Waskiewicz, S., … Rice University. (2016). 23.3. In U.S. history. Retrieved from https://cnx.org/contents/p7ovuIkl@3.37:uWq1WdmQ@3/A-New-Home-Front
    2. Corbett, P. S., Volker, J., Lund, J. M., Pfannestiel, T. J., Vickery, P. S., Waskiewicz, S., … Rice University. (2016). 23.1. In U.S. history. Retrieved from https://cnx.org/contents/p7ovuIkl@3.37:h6o9EjA8/American-Isolationism-and-the-European-Origins-of-War