The Changing Status and Experience of African Americans, Women or the Working Class in the United States from Reconstruction to the Present

            Introduction

            In the 1800 and the general colonial era, African Americans women strove in securing equal privileges for themselves in the United States. Some were forced to assume the interests of the businesses after the death of their husbands. A few women were, therefore, struggling while changing the domination of male in religious life although they encountered criticism from their communities as well as the white community.  Before the occurrence of the civil war, African American women were treated as second-class individuals. The women and the working class from the African American community lacked equality and freedom which they were seeking for through movements.

The Engagement of the Africa American Women in Changing Their Status in America

‘’Aimed to create a society characterized by equality of blacks and whites’’ (OpenStax college, 381) the quote is relevant is showing the racial equality. The phrase additionally shows the intense purpose of women in challenging the traditional gender roles.

            During the late 1800 and the beginning of 1900 women worked tirelessly in order to gain the voting right as well as the broader-based political equality as well as economic equality not forgetting social reforms which were a high necessity to them. The number of employed black American women grew in early 1900 as majorities were being employed in industries and in businesses. However majority of well-paying job positions were still dominated y men and at the century turn over sixty percent of the African-American women were still in servants employments.  With the jobs, they were, therefore, able to gain full control of the wages which enabled them to attain the gain of owning properties and in divorce circumstances they would get their children’s custody.  By 1896, women had gained the right to participate in voting in the four states.

            According to the African Americans women, the civil war was purposed to bring liberation.  The reconstruction era goal was to restore the unions as well as liberty to the individuals who were held as slaves.  African American women, therefore, fought the inequality by forming movements which were not successful because of the resistance from the south. They wanted to access equality in government positions, working classes as well as liberation.  The end of the 1800 century, therefore, resulted in changing the lives of the women as the created situation thus allowed them to start to act politically on their behalf as well as for others. By the beginning of 1830, women were organized in protests in the attempt of improving their working environment and also the wages status.  The role that African American women played as middle-class women at home helped in the development of senses as they were members of cohesive groups.  This therefore translated that they would utilize the ideas that they had developed in demanding collective rights.

            The concern of the African American women of urban poor additionally allowed the African Americans middle-class women to get involved in charity jobs and campaigns that were temperance. In these activities, they were, therefore, able to view themselves as working to the direction of moral uplift of the community in similar ways that they cared for the wellbeing of their general families.  The campaigns gave the women the social authority and public voice as they were covered by benevolent and domestic coverage.

            Women’s Challenges in Achieving Equality

            ‘’Although the early phase of the American feminism did not lead to political rights for women it began the long process of overcoming gender inequalities in the republic’’ (OpenStax college, 388). The phrase is relevant in illustrating the fact that although the women’s rights movements generated some achievements it was faced with various issues that led to inefficiency.

            Social inequality challenged the efforts of the African American in gaining social improvements because of the growing criticism from the white racists and funds limitations. An additional goal of the African American women was land ownership because as the freedmen believed that economic independence and land ownership were equal (Barak, Gregg, Leighton, and Flavin, 22). The efforts of the women’s groups to achieve equality was mainly affected by the fact that some women were still attached to social roles and beliefs and therefore they did not believe that women and men  deserved equal rights. The traditional role challenge thus presented the struggle for economic, political, economic and social equality thus threatening the movement’s success.

            Women’s Achievements in Efforts to Achieve Equality

            ‘’The spirit of religious awakening and reform in the antebellum era impacted women lives by allowing them to think about their lives and their society in new and empowering ways, (OpenStax college, 388). The quote is relevant in demonstrating what influenced the black American women in fighting for equality.

            While the movements that were aimed to secure equal rights to women in the society prioritized their energies mostly on suffrage, it helps in both feeding and fostering of distinct changes in the lives of women (Barak, Gregg, Leighton, and Flavin, 23). The access of women to education increased as coeducational and single sexed institutions opened their doors to the African American women.  This, therefore, resulted in women entering in few numbers in traditional males’ professions like doctors and lawyers which were characterized by higher wages. African American women slowly began  getting involved in other political causes especially those that were involved with labor issues and settlement houses opened in order to assist the poor individuals in the community (Barak, Gregg, Leighton, and Flavin, 23).

            The African Americans who worked in movements that were abolitionist played an essential role in the creation of the women’s privileges movements (Barak, Gregg, Leighton, and Flavin, 24).  In order to attain equality in accessing the education they collaborated with the organizers who helped in teaching them basic things about reading and writing. Although civil war and reconstructions affected the women movements greatly, the movements continued to transform themselves even in their divisive tensions.  A group was formed in 1890 which represented the association of colored women. The movement was formed due to the exclusion of black women from the whole women’s clubs federal. Despite the existing difference between the two groups, the group based their case on the argument that both men are women were equal and they deserved equal rights.  The movement becomes the major player in fostering the African American women suffrage movement which was formed in 1890. The members of the different clubs despite having different views believed that their vote would enable women in bringing additional moralizing influence to be able to bear to the societal issues.  They explained this by stating that although women derived having equal rights to vote the same as men they deserved it not because they are equal but because they are different (Norton, Mary, Kamensky, Sheriff, Blight, Chudacoff, Logevall, and Bailey, 146).

Conclusion

            Although social equality in the United States has not been fully achieved by the African American women their efforts bore fruits. This is because they were able to attain the land of land ownership, the right to education and the power to access better wages in high working positions unlike before. The movements were, therefore, crucial in giving the women the power and authority to fully participate in the societal activities that were previously reserved for men. Racial equality in the United States was not achieved by the women’s efforts because of the growing criticism and the fact that the white racists hold more resources thus giving them the authority to dominate the society.

 

            Work cited

 Barak, Gregg, Paul Leighton, and Jeanne Flavin. Class, Race, Gender, and Crime: The Social     Realities of Justice in America. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield, 2010. Print.

Norton, Mary B, Jane Kamensky, Carol Sheriff, David W. Blight, Howard P. Chudacoff, Fredrik             Logevall, and Beth L. Bailey. A People & a Nation: A History of the United States. ,         2014. Print.

Openstax college. U.S History. Rice University, 2014. Copyright.