Women have found power in a variety of ways though out history in their struggle towards justice and equality. Though personal power can take many forms this paper will primarily focus on power found through gender solidarity, class issues, race or sexuality. I intend to examine the ways in which three different women, of different races and times in history, were able to find such power resulting in a positive change to either their own lives or the lives of others. Those women are: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Eleanor Roosevelt and Melba Beals.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton found power through gender solidarity. She was a true feminist concerned with not just suffrage but total equality for the sexes. Her Declaration of Sentiments brilliantly
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Roosevelt spoke out for an abundance of causes including women’s rights, poverty, discrimination, children’s issues and foreign affairs. Being the President’s wife came with certain privileges and she utilized them on several occasions to further her agendas. According to an article in Women’s America “ER increasingly bypassed State Department restrictions; she worked, often covertly, with private groups and individuals. She campaigned for a less restrictive refugee policy, pursed visas for individuals, and answered and passed on to government officials every appeal sent to her” (Kerber 532). Being of the highest possible social class, Roosevelt found power in her status and leveraged it to further her own itinerary.
Selecting from only the above mentioned forms of personal power, I must argue that Melba Beals found power threw race. She used her race, or at least attempted to, to gain equal access to a higher quality of education and educational resources. The white students also used their race to gain access to such an education. The difference was that the white students were born with the skin color that came with those opportunities. This was their white privilege. If all students, regardless of race, were provided the option to attend either the prestigious Central High School or the impoverished Horace Mann High School, it is likely that none of them would have chosen to go the latter.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a suffragist and a leader of the Women's Rights Movement. She organized the Seneca Falls Convention, which was considered as the first women's rights movement in the United States. She wrote The Declaration of Sentiments, which is often called one of the first steps towards women's rights.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the most renowned women to lead campaigns for women’s rights. Her efforts were focused on "opportunities for women, for married women’s property rights, the right to divorce, and the right to custody of children; her most radical demand was for women’s right to vote" (Davidson and Wagner-Martin 845). In general Stanton wished to instill independence and self-reliance in all women. Stanton was an inspiring orator of speeches including the Declaration of Sentiments as well as the book The Women’s Bible. Upon analysis of her speeches and other works, as well as gaining knowledge of her background, one is able to assume that
The women’s rights movement has been influenced by the words and writings of many. Two influential people in the movement include Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Abigail Adams. These women paved the way for equality across the United States of America. Without these women speaking out and advocating in their different ways, equality in the country would be much farther
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a suffragist, an abolitionist, an activist, and a leader in the women’s rights movement (Biography 2). During the Civil War, Elizabeth strived to end slavery, but after the war, she concentrated on women’s rights, especially the women’s right to vote. She was an excellent writer, and she used this skill to write the “Declaration of Sentiments,” which proposed giving women the right to vote (Elizabeth 2). “Stanton was the president of the National Woman Suffrage Association for several years with the help of her fellow colleague, Susan B. Anthony.” (Elizabeth 2) This essay will present information on the life of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the many achievements she has made to give women equal rights.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a famous woman who led the women’s movement. Also, a writer who wrote none other than the famous work called the Declaration
Mrs. HesterAmerican History I Honors16 November 2017Elizabeth Cady Stanton Women’s Rights has always been a big topic in the U.S. Many women throughout our history have strived to have the rights we deserve. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the biggest women's suffrage leaders.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was not just a mother, daughter, feminist, and writer; but she is the woman who changed the lives of women everywhere by fighting for equality. Stanton lived a normal childhood, but one that motivated her to never give up hope in reaching her goal. A quick background of her life will help better understand why she became such a powerful woman’s rights activist. Also, what she accomplished that changed history and how it still affects us today in 2011. I will also express my individual satisfaction with what this incredible woman has done for women everywhere. On November 12, 1815 Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born to the Cady family in Johnstown, New York (Gordon, 2009). She was born into a high-class, conservative,
In the late Nineteenth century, women were beginning to become more progressive in their actions. They began to stand up for themselves and fight for their rights. In the late 1850’s, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the more prominent women to do so. She worked with Susan B. Anthony to deliver a majority of the population the rights that they rightfully deserved. Her actions are important in the United States’ History because they helped to encourage women to form the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Many Scholars have written about her, but simply with a different lens of focus. For example, they have written about her use of the bicycle in her campaign and her unique stance on religion. It is important to continue studying her actions because the issues she was fighting for back then, such as: the abolition of capital punishment, and an end to police brutality, are still issues today. Perhaps if the people of the United States today collectively took after her intrepid and forward thinking attitude in life, there could be more positive change in this country.
Stanton worked very closely with Anthony when it came to fighting for women’s rights. Stanton was the president of the National Women Suffrage Association as well as Anthony. Stanton was also in attendance when the Seneca Falls convention took place in July 1848. The Seneca Falls convention was a convention where a group of women all gathered and proposed that women should be granted the right to vote. Stanton fought for women’s rights in general, such as the right for women to divorce their husband instead of only the other way around and the right to vote particularly. For most of Stanton’s life, she would travel to many different places and lecture and inform people about women’s rights. Stanton would also campaign for the many groups she was associated with. Alongside Anthony, Stanton wrote many forms of journalism about women’s rights. Together they wrote the first three volumes of the History of Women Suffrage, which Matilda Joslyn Gage also helped out a little bit on. As a successful author and a woman’s rights activist, nothing was handed to her easily. She made quite an impact on the women’s rights movement. “The best protection a women can have is courage” is a very famous quote from Stanton that really describes what she stands for and what she believes in. Lucretia Mott was another women’s rights activist that always stood up for what she believed
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony – campaigned for women’s right to vote, property rights, and legal rights
Elizabeth Stanton was an amazing woman and historical figure, who demonstrates what it takes to get a law passed in the United States Government. Elizabeth along with many other women laid the ground work for the women’s movement by organizing the Woman’s Suffrage Movement. The power and influence of these tremendous women grew for many years, and transformed into the National Women’s Suffrage Association (NWSA). Sadly, Elizabeth was not able to exercise her right to vote in her lifetime, nevertheless, the contributions that she made to the women’s movement will be recognized in history
(Hannam 296) During the Anti-Slavery Movement, she had valuable experience in public speaking and running poilitical organizations through her work in the abolishionist movement. (298 ) in the process women were generally discouraged from taking active part in public life and expected to join women only groups in support of male organizations (ibid) While Elizabeth Cady Stanton is best known for her long contribution to the woman suffrage struggle, without her struggles these issues wouldnt have been effective in winning property rights for married women, equal guardianship of children, and liberalized divorce laws. These reforms made it possible for women to leave marriages that were abusive of the wife, the children, and the economic health of the family.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the most influential activists of the national women’s suffrage movement in the 19th century. After the Civil War, she helped to found the National American Woman Suffrage Association, which strived to break gender inequality by advocating the need for women’s rights (Davis 28). In January 1892, Stanton delivered her speech “The Solitude of
Elizabeth Cady Stanton didn’t want to be remembered as a household but the women they will admire. The purpose of this paper is to explain the life of Elizabeth Stanton and how she had a huge effect on the outcome of seeking equal rights for woman.
When Franklin became the president of the United States, Eleanor had to accept her role as the first lady. Mrs. Roosevelt was not like the First Ladies before her. She made her mark on society. She got involved in politics. Franklin saw her as his "eyes and ears" for she would tell him what was going on throughout the country with "real" people she had met while Franklin remained in Washington D.C. She was a very important part of the presidential team.