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American Equal Rights Association began in New York.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony established the American Equal Rights Association in order to fight for suffrage for all African American men and all women, especially with the aftermath of the Civil War. After getting some backlash from African American men who wanted precedence over women, the two sought to create an organization dedicated to women’s suffrage.1 1Judith E. Harper,"Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton," PBS, accessed June 26, 2017,www.pbs.org/stantonanthony -
Stanton and Anthony established the National Woman Suffrage Association in New York.
This was led by women and its goal was a federal amendment giving equal voting rights to women. This was important in this time period since more and more women were now working in an industrialized society. They wanted equal rights and equal voices, as well. The two women published newspapers, traveled the country, and lectured about equal rights to gain support.1 Attached is a primary source in the media of a cartoon of Anthony and Stanton looking like the ‘foremothers’ of our country. -
Jane Addams used her private home to establish Chicago’s first social settlement where immigrants could live before settling on their own. Hull House offered literacy, art, cooking, sewing, government, and technical skills classes.
The residents paid rent and participated in activities. The house became a center of culture, music, and art, in addition to a safe haven for immigrants on Chicago’s Near West Side. It is very admirable for a woman to have established all this. Jane Addams is a role model and brought about change in the perception of women in this time. She corroborated the idea that women could do anything and everything to help communities succeed in more ways than working in their households. (5) -
Women Join the Military.
Women first joined the military through the Army Nurse Corps in 1901and the Navy Nurse Corps in 1908. Nearly 1500 women participated in the Spanish-American War during this time. This was very important since women were gaining greater importance outside of the household. Additionally, with the outbreak of World War I, women needed to know how to take care of soldiers and deal with war. Women were doing their part in protecting their nation; this also helped them gain suffrage.6 -
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire is still considered one of the worst disasters in New York City. 146 young Italian and Jewish women died from poor working conditions where a fire could not be contained. Attached is a direct photograph of the fire.5
A testimonial of the fire writes that the “place was not even fireproof, and that the firm had blocked the exit to the one fire escape by two rows of sewing machines,” which proves the poor working conditions at the time. This fire led to major changes for working women. Women gained better working hours, better working conditions, and better wages. Specifically, New York State established a maximum 54 hour work week for women, established building regulations, and imposed factory safety rules. -
With the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, women gained the equal right to vote.
Suffrage had already been granted in Wyoming in 1890, Colorado in 1893, Utah in 1896, and Washington in 1910, but in 1920 the entire nation adopted this law. It felt as if the amendment gave women much more than the right to vote. It acknowledged their equality in everything in the nation. They were part of the army, worked in industrialized areas, led strikes and lectures, gained greater educations, and more. This amendment inspired many young women to continue fighting for their equal place. 8 -
There were many firsts for women.
In 1925, the first woman governor was elected- Nellie Tayloe Ross in the state of Wyoming.(10) Also, the first women’s world’s fair occurred in Chicago. It was called the World Exposition of Women’s Progress. (11) Also, women athletes took great leaps during this time. They participated in the Olympics for the first time. In 1926, the first woman, Gertrude Ederle from New York, swam across the English channel setting a world record, even compared to the men. (9)
