Mary Terrell Suffrage

One of the leading black female activists of the 20th century, during her life, Mary Church Terrell worked as a writer, lecturer and educator. She is remembered best for her contribution to the struggle for the rights of women of African descent. Mary Terrell was born in Memphis, Tennessee at the close of the Civil War. Her parents, former slaves who later became millionaires, tried to shelter her from the harsh reality of racism. However, as her awareness of the problem developed, she became an ardent supporter of civil rights. Her life was one of privilege but the wealth of her family did not prevent her from experiencing segregation and the humiliation of Jim Crow laws. While traveling on a train her family was

Along with the Civil Right Acts movement in colored people, women started to aware their rights towards speech and freedom, too. During that period, women were being turned down by the society when they have issues in marriage, social status and speech.

Women made substantial progress during this era, but African Americans were severely limited in their fight for civil rights. The black population saw little to no advancement in their fight for civil rights, as progressives were known to share the prejudices of the time and considered other reform movements more important and beneficial to society. A leader in the African American community, W.E.B. Dubois pointed out in The Crisis that progressive reforms had failed short in its ideals for civil rights equality, as blacks were still oppressed and segregated. (DOC I) Black men were being drafted into war and serving gladly for their country, yet only saw further segregation under the Wilson presidency. However, the women’s rights movement was a powerful and the driving force of the progressive era. The phrase “New Women” was created to describe the young, college educated women who were pursuing careers and looking for equality. It was primarily middle class women who drove the reforms of this time, and it was through groups such as The National American Women Suffrage Association and the National Women’s Party that they fought for equal rights, like the right to vote.

The Women 's Suffrage Movement impacted the United States by giving women the right to have a voice and to finally be able to vote. Achieving the right to vote was the culminating event of the Women 's Suffrage Movement. The Women 's Suffrage Movement was also known as Women 's Suffrage. The movement was the struggle for women to be able to vote and run for president. It was also closely linked to the women 's right movement. In the mid 19th century women in several different countries, mostly the United States and Britain began forming organizations to fight for suffrage.

Over the history of time women were not allowed to have prominent roles and rights in society. Through history and time women have fought for the right to vote, to work for equal pay, the women’s suffrage, gaining property rights, and much more. The first women’s right movement in the United States of America, which started in the 1830s, arose from the campaign too end slavery. Many things such as evangelical Christianity, the abolitionist critique to slavery, and debates about the place of women in the abolitionist movement played valuable roles in the development of the antebellum women’s right movement. These efforts and large steps that women took to destroy and tear down the walls that limited them from having a voice still resonates today.

During the 19th century, the dawn of social reform was unearthed. The Abolitionist Movement and the Women’s Suffrage Movement joined forces to advocate for social justice. Generally speaking, they sought freedom, but as you look closer into these movements you see where these movements parallel and where they diverge. With the potential promise of a more inclusive America, accepting people for who they are and not because of their gender or color, these groups worked together. While the Women’s Suffrage Movement focused on the pending promise of individual sovereignty, the abolitionist movement sought to end the precedent of buying and treating people as property and as a tangible object that can be replaced. Both movements were after the larger goal of eliminating discrimination and segregation by shredding the weight of oppression.

Throughout America's history, there have been numerous social and political movements that have had a profound and lasting impact on American culture. Movements such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Suffrage Movement have influenced and shaped American ideals and beliefs. These movements were typically driven by a cause. From the 1890s to the 1920s, a period of social and political reform flourished in America. This was driven by the desire to eliminate corruption in the government. People wanted to have a positive impact on society and they wanted to speak up for what they believed in. This era was a pivotal turning point in the history of the United States. This era was known as the Progressive Era.

Colored women also began to define themselves and establish an identity. They made speeches, advocated rights, established organizations, and even made their way into the world of business in American society. Mary Church Terrell said in her speech in Washington D.C. that fifty years before, no one would have believed that a slave, let alone a woman, would be making a speech in the U.S. Capital and be supported by so many respected people. Fifty years ago, not only were African-Americans not allowed in schools, but most states considered it a crime to teach them to read and

In the antebellum period, came the movement of transcendentalism which emphasized individualism, self-reliance, and self-discipline. It transcended people to choose morality over prosperity. Looking at the idea of transcendentalism, communities began to stand up for their rights, thus started the reform movements of abolitionism and equality for women in the society. The abolition movement started in 1820’s in the upper south, its goal was end slavery in the United States (Abolitionist Movement). The women’s rights reform began in 1848 and fought for gender equality, such as the idea of equal property rights, and the right of women to vote(“Women’s Rights). Although the abolitionist and the women rights movement were different as both had different ways to express their opposition towards societal norms, they had more similarities because they both impacted the society by emphasizing the meaning of idealism and both portrayed social reform that included right to liberty and equality of education.

Before the women's rights movement women did not have equal rights. Before the late nineteenth centuries, women did not have the right to vote anywhere. America granted women's suffrage on August 18, 1920. The modern African American civil rights movement, similar to earlier movements, transformed American Democracy. It served as a model for other groups to advance and group pride efforts for women, students, gay, and lesbians

Mary Terrell fought passionately for the equality of African Americans, education reform amongst children of color, and lastly, the rights of women of color through women's suffrage. Terrell worked very hard until the end of her years and died two months after the decision of Brown v. Board of Education (“Today in History”). Terrell voiced her opinion by protesting, picketing the white house, writing books, newspapers and giving plenty of powerful and motivational speeches. Interestingly, the impact that she had on the public, through her speeches was immense. Moreover, she represented women of color by demonstrating the skills and abilities of African American women to the world. All the while facing opposition along the way from white women

Around the years 1848 and 1869, the Feminist and Suffrage movement started to take off, and was named "the emergence of an independent women 's movement in America" (Dubois Title). During these times, societal standards taught that a woman belonged either in the kitchen, or serving her family. This presented few opportunities for education and/or careers for women. In turn, many women realized they didn 't want to only serve their families, or even have a family. They decided to stand up for themselves. This was the beginning of a revolution that is unfortunately still going on today.

Historical events that influenced entire decades include the right to vote for women, U.S Depression and Civil Rights Act of 1964. These 3 events intertwine together starting with women’s right to vote in 1920. Beginning in the mid-19th century it took woman’s suffrage to achieve a constitutional change. There was not a real victory for women until the 1920's. This required suffrage in each state by parading women, hunger strikes and vigils held in silence. As far back as 1800's women held picketing protests to gain right to vote. During this movement women were jailed and physically abused for their acts. Once women gained the right to vote in a constitutional change in 1920.

Martin Luther King Jr. once reasoned, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Women’s rights and abolition were both major social movements during the 19th century. Although the women’s rights movement is meaningful, the abolition movement is the more influential campaign.

Women in the nineteenth century began to fight for their rights as they were inspired by other abolitionist movements. Women were denied basic natural rights that were given to men. For example, women were not allowed to vote or own property. They also earned less money than men, even if they were working the same job. Men also had a more variety of opportunities in regarding jobs and careers. Women were expected to care for the children and the household. This unfair treatment inspired women to start abolitionist movements to gain equal rights to men. Although it was strongly opposed by most men, the women’s rights movement of the 1800’s was ineffective