Push for Social Reform and Activism: African American and Women Suffrage 1865-1929 (pdm)
By pdmattox
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Thirteenth Amendment
The 13th amendment was ratified in January 1865 permanently abolishing slavery in the United States, The Constitutional Document states "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime...shall exist in the United States...". This was the first time change had been made to the constitution since 1804. . -
Petition of the African American Citizens of Calhoun, Georgia (1867)
In response to increased violence afflicted upon African Americas in Calhoun Georgia during the time of the upcoming election, a petition was sent to congress requesting soldiers be sent to their communities for protection. The petitioners sited they were,cursed at, beaten "unmercifully", and their houses destroyed, all while the local authorities turned a blind eye. They also noted that they would prefer peace over violence, however, at this time it was unavoidable. -
Fifteenth Amendment
Although the Fourteenth Amendment extended "natural born citizens" the right to participate civically, it did not eliminate states from discriminating against race.
The Fifteenth Amendment ratified in 1870, was a correction to the Fourteenth Amendment, and states "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied...by any state on account of race, color or previous servitude". -
Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 was an under the table agreement between Republicans and Democrats in congress during the presidential election of 1876. The agreement allowed Republicans to gain office and in return the government removed US troops from southern states formally ending the Reconstruction Era. This was devastating to African Americans who were now representatives in government offices with protection from military. -
National American Women's Suffrage Association (NAWSA)
Under the leadership of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and later Carrie Chapman Catt the National American Women's Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was formed in an attempt to create equal voting right for women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were veterans of the movement and participated in the Seneca Falls march on New York in 1848 for equal voting rights. They organized many state and local chapters in their quest making voting rights their main priority. -
Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington gave his Atlanta Compromise speech at the 1895 International Exposition addressing a black and white audience. In his speech he advocated for vocational training for African Americans in an attempt to curtail racial tension in the South. Washington appealed to whites for African Americans to join them in vocational trades such as agriculture and domestic services to prove their work ethnic and convince them that African Americans were not problematic. -
WEB Dubois
In contrast to Booker T. Washington's position for African Americans to accommodate whites' racism, WEB DuBois a spokesperson for the Niagara Movement and Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), advocated for prompt social, economic, and political equality for African Americans. -
Alice Paul
Alice Paul joined the National Women's Suffrage Association (NAWSA) in 1913 but felt the movement was not radical enough in their tactics to gain media attention. When her ideas were not favored by the group, she departed and formed her own, known as the Silent Sentinels. After one of her picketing events landed her in jail, she went on a hunger strike and prison guards force fed her. The inhumane treatment got the attention of President Wilson who changed his position to supportive. -
Nineteenth Amendment
In response to the women's rights movements of the 18th and 19th centuries, Congress enacted the Nineteenth Amendment stating "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 huge victory for women of all color as now all citizens had the right to cast their vote. However, this was not the end of the fight for equality, only the beginning.
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Women Vote for the first time all over The United States
Although the western states of Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming had already enacted laws giving women the right to vote, the Presidential Election of 1920, which occurred the same year the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, was the first time in US history that women were able to vote all over the United States.
