Essay on Beyond Suffrage: a Book Review

As the United States was continuing recovering from the Civil War and embracing the expansion of the West, industrialization, immigration and the growth of cities, women’s roles in America were changing by the transformation of this new society. During the period of 1865-1912, women found themselves challenging to break the political structure, power holders, cultural practices and beliefs in their “male” dominated world.

In the early 1900 club women, who mainly affiliated with Republicans, focused on developing skills to be a good mother, run a home and take care of the children. Deborah White Grey explains, Mary Hill Terrell is one example of a club women in the early 1900, who “writes regularly about characteristics, virtues, and perils of womanhood.” (154). The idea of uplifting women to better the race was the fundamental principle may club women agreed upon. In the 1930, the women’s clubs supported an increase for racial solidarity, promoted by the New Negro Movement. Club women during this time focused on political and economic awareness and demanded an increase in citizenship rights on a national level. Bethune, a club women in the 1930’s, was an example of the change that had taken place. She and the Council, focused on “the entry of black women into the practical work of broker politics” (155) During this time there was a focus on professional upliftment and getting women into national and international citizenship roles.

     The author, Susan Ware, begins by laying the groundwork for the women’s network. During the 1930’s, many different organizations began to evolve to include women in their decision-making. The backbone to this movement seems to lie deep within the White House. The First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, held a great

“Although she had worked in the National Consumers League before she was married; which promoted the rights of women; “after World War I, Eleanor Roosevelt realized the power and influence she obtained as First Lady of the United States and desired to help those who were helpless. She worked with the International Congress of Working Women and the Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom; which promoted the end to poverty and war. The friendships made through these societies not only shaped her understanding of the importance and equality of all people, but dramatically changed her life forever.” She was fully committed to American politics and human rights and worked with women rights groups around the nation for women to become involved and to be part of the New Deal. “Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged women to be part of the union, limited the hours and employer forced a woman to work, and fought for the rights for women to vote.” She continuously encouraged women to stand up for their rights and stated of their capability to do the work of that men could accomplish; like joining the military. Even after the end of the White House Eleanor continued to promote women’s equality and believed that women “had special qualities that made the peacemakers and mothers, but also believed these qualities made them fine

This new generation of activists fought with this new agenda for almost 20 years until a few states in the West began to extend the vote to women. The Eastern and Southern states still refused to give in, but this didn’t stop the National American Woman Suffrage Association. In 1916, Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the NAWSA, worked vigorously to get women’s organizations from all over the country together and fight side by side. “One group of activists, led by Alice Paul and her National Woman’s Party, lobbied for full quality for women under the law” (Divine). She used mass marches and hunger strikes as strategies, but she was eventually forced to resign because of her insistence on the use of militant direct-action tactics (Grolier). Finally, during World War 1, women were given more opportunities to work, and were able to show that they were just as deserving as men when it came to the right to vote. On August 18th, 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, allowing women to vote. This drawn-out and arduous battle opened a new window of opportunity for women all over the country. Significant changes in both social life and job availability began to create what is now referred to as the “new women.”

The movie I watched this week was the Not for Ourselves Alone, produced by Ben Burns, Paul Barnes, and written by Geoffrey C. Ward in 1999. The documentary articulates the suffrage movement in the United States, along with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s biography. In review, the movie dedicates a significant amount of time to the time after their deaths. Thus, the movie provided an overview of strategic moments in the woman’s suffrage history and the insights of two women’s lives.

Women have faced many challenges due to unequal rights in the United States. The time period of these chapters go from roughly 1868 to 1980. During this time there was World War I, multiple court cases such as Brown v. Board of Education, the Civil Rights Act, World War II, and new technology being made. During these war times women had to step up to take over the mens’ jobs while they were fighting. Rosie the Riveter was a big campaign approach during WWII to get women working in the factories. Women proved that their place wasn’t only in the domestic sphere. Women changed America by accepting challenges, fighting for what they believed in, and taking risks.

Just imagine being a woman and a second rate citizen.This happened to women in the past .Allowing women to vote is so very important for all. Women should be treated equally and fairly .women should have the same rights and freedoms of men and immigrants who are coming into America for their futures.

According to the United States Bureau Census, there are about 325 million people living in the United States. Of the 325 million people, 42.1 million have immigrated from another nation (Ibtimes). But why do so many people want to live in the United States? What is it about America that captures the attention of other countries’ citizens all over the world? Well, the answer is simple—freedom. The freedom that America bestows upon each and every one of her citizens is the same freedom other countries’ citizens desire. While the freedoms of speech, religion, and suffrage make America a desirable nation to live in, they are also the three freedoms many Americans take for granted.

A new member of the Women’s Trade Union League by 1922 along with the Women’s Division of the Democratic State Committee, I decided to get more serious into the department of making history. Even though being a First Lady had its advantages, I decided more and more on consulting around the world and visiting trademark places, while deciding what was best for the economy. One must remember that there have been countless meetings where men have been deciding the fate of women and discussing our future, which is why the Union was

Eleanor joined the New York Women’s City Club. This organization was part of the prewar women’s movement (Scharf, 1987). Eleanor ran into political divisiveness over her committee’s proposals to address social issues and to reorganize state government offices and election procedures (Scharf, 1987). Within a year her committee’s proposals were modified (Scharf, 1987). Eleanor was beginning to realize that the direction of political and social changes didn’t always coincide with the stance of women’s organizations (Scharf, 1987).

During the historical period commonly regarded as the Progressive Era in the 1900s, began with the First World War in which women joined the political field in extraordinary amounts. Women were incorporated in leading positions in an array of social reform endeavors, comprising of suffrage, equality, child welfare, and nonviolence (Haman, 2009). Women in the ear started to establish conferences; spoke at gatherings, petitioned government representatives, led marches and protests. Women were also involved in a multiple policies that, for the first time in U.S. history, provided them with a visible presence on the political arena (Haman, 2009). The lines that divided women’s household and public existence became distorted as women joined the

Ladies ' legislative issues in the 20th Century came to past self-characterized women 's activists, as conventional ladies associations handled issues of important to ladies ' regular lives. An examination of the positions and moves on welfare change made the researchers and feminist through Voters and the National Organization for Women in the middle of 1970s difficulties the suspicion that all white collar class women disregarded the issues of poor ladies and highlights a discriminating defining moment in American progressivism. The League 's activism uncovers the profundity and

California women and men worked tirelessly to strengthen the women’s suffrage campaign from 1893, when the state legislature passed an amendment permitting women to vote in state elections, through the final passage of the amendment in 1911. The strength of the movements themselves, passionate support overcoming harsh opposition, pushed by the people and the organizations championing for the women’s vote were the main contributing factors which accumulated in the eventual passage of Amendment 8. Since California women have begun to vote, there have been many advancements and setbacks in the other women’s rights movements, including the Nineteenth Amendment and the Equal Rights Amendment.

Universal Suffrage repose in the result of all adult citizens are allowed to vote. Still, to have the right to participate at the suffrage in United of States of America, one’s need to be a citizen and be at least 18 years old. As the definition states suffrage is universal, however, it was not always a privilege that all citizens had. Throughout history the right to vote has been limited, not everyone is allowed to vote. The colored people, women and the poor are considered as inferior and deprived on this right. Even in present-day there are certain limitation and restrictions on who can vote, certain states convicted felon are disfranchised. In the lecture “The History of the right to Vote” it is said that adult college students who go