Women in Liberia

The title of this book comes from the inspiring words spoken by Sojourner Truth at the 1851, nine years prior to the Civil War at a Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. In Deborah Grays White, Ar’n’t I a woman her aim was to enrich the knowledge of antebellum black women and culture to show an unwritten side of history of the American black woman. Being an African- American and being a woman, these are the two principle struggles thrown at the black woman during and after slavery in the United States. Efforts were made by White scholars in 1985 to have a focus on the female slave experience. Deborah Gray White explains her view by categorizing the hardships and interactions between the female slave and the environment in which the

Gender inequality has maintained the suppression of women worldwide and unfortunately has impacted third world countries with the greatest magnitude. Everyday in these countries there are countless occurrences of physical, emotional, and psychological abuse that must be acknowledged as a primary concern for the world to help overcome. It is however important to recognize specific cultural and religious practices of gender hierarchy that are accepted by women in these countries. While keeping this in mind it is of paramount importance to keep sight of the consequences of abusing these cultural practices at the expense of women’s liberation and development.

The Abolitionist movement during the Antebellum period, was a critical time in American history. The goal of this movement was to emancipate all slaves immediately, and end discrimination, as well as segregation. The brave men and women involved in this movement were called abolitionists and antislavery advocates. The antislavery advocates stood for freeing slaves gradually, and abolitionists wanted slavery gone immediately. No matter how fast, these people all wanted to spread opposition against slavery across the United States. Northern churches started liking this whole idea of abolishing slavery, which started conflict between the North and South. These arguments led up to the Civil War.

This paper discusses the experiences of African American Women under slavery during the Slave Trade, their exploitation, the secrecy, the variety of tasks and positions of slave women, slave and ex-slave narratives, and significant contributions to history. Also, this paper presents the hardships African American women faced and the challenges they overcame to become equal with men in today’s society. Slavery was a destructive experience for African Americans especially women. Black women suffered doubly during the slave era.

The instant emancipation of slaves and the end of racial discrimination, segregation, and abuse were the goals of the American abolitionist movement. Unlike moderate anti-slavery advocates who pushed or gradual emancipation as well as other activists who argued to restrict slavery to certain areas in hopes to avoid slavery being spread west, the call for immediate emancipation is was set abolitionist apart. This movement was mainly fueled by the religious excitement of the Second Great Awakening. This awakening motivated many people to support the emancipation of slavery. These ideas increasingly became popular in northern churches and even in politics in the 1830s. This also contributed to animosity between the north and the south, leading to the Civil War.

Black and white abolitionists shared common assumptions about the evil of slavery, the "virtue of moral reform", and the certainty of human progress"(1). Schor, Garnet,1877, & Lanngston, 1989). This shared understanding provided "the basic for the interracial solidarity" and cooperation so vital in the crusade against slavery"(2). (Schor and Garnet, 1877). But blacks also brought a distinct perspective to the antislavery movement. Their abolitionism was shaped profoundly by their personal experience and racial oppression. Unlike most white abolitionists, they

In her book, Lose Your Mother, Saidiya Hartman challenges Jerry Rawlings’ notion of freedom by responding with “Had Rawlings asked, “‘Are we yet free?’ most Ghanaians would have answered with a resounding, ‘No.’ This ‘no’ resonated on both sides of the Atlantic”(pg 126). The capitalistic spirit that possessed the Europeans enabled them to disrupt the untouched country of Africa and capture its children to satiate their wealth aspirations. In the meantime, the Europeans took the land from the Native Americans through genocidal practices and claimed it as their gift from God. Although some claim that the capitalist ventures of the Europeans during the colonial period and the 19th century were beneficial for all and rooted in innocence, it ultimately caused the physical and cultural death of the Native Americans and African-origin peoples and has led to the day to day suffering of their descendants.

Black and white abolitionists shared common assumptions about the evil of slavery, the "virtue of moral reform", and the certainty of human progress"(1). Schor, Garnet,1877, & Lanngston, 1989). This shared understanding provided "the basic for the interracial solidarity" and cooperation so vital in the crusade against slavery"(2). (Schor and Garnet, 1877). But blacks also brought a distinct perspective to the antislavery movement. Their abolitionism was shaped profoundly by their personal experience and racial oppression. Unlike most white abolitionists, they

Although the abolitionist movement started around 1770, it wasn’t until 1807 that the “evils of the trade were generally accepted” (AbolotionProject) The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed. It was passed 100 votes to 34 votes This act abolished the trade in British Colonies. This was a major milestone in the movement. However, once this act was passed, many abolitionist lost interest in the movement. They thought that this was going to be the end of slavery, but it was not. Now the abolitionist had a new fight, slavery

Religion was another factor in creating and solidifying the abolitionist movement. The first religious group to reject slavery was the Quakers, “standing almost alone in professing that slaveholding was incompatible with Christian piety” (McKivigan). Not long after the Quakers stand against slavery, did the northern states and the federal government take a stand, “federal government prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory and banned the trans-Atlantic slave trade.” (McKivigan). Out of all the states, “Virginia was the first territory to ban slavery within their borders,” and not long after that, “Pennsylvania followed suit” ("American Experience”). As the churches from the North and the South began to preach differently upon slavery, the churches started to reject and despise each other, “abolitionist ideas became increasingly prominent in Northern churches, which contributed to the regional animosity between the North and South” ("Abolitionist Movement"). Therefore, religion was an integral component to instigating the start of the Civil War. When the churches started believing that slavery was inhumane and that emancipation was greatly needed, the abolitionist cause became

Prior to the 1830s most antislavery activists focused on gradual emancipation. Most of these activists were Southern whites, who thought that it would progressively wither away. Only black abolitionists demanded an immediate end to slavery. The abolitionist movement called for the end of slavery and had existed in one form or another since colonial times; the early case had been stated most consistently by the Quakers. Most Northern states abolished slavery after the War for Independence, reacting to moral concerns

One of the more famous oppositions of the abolition of slavery in Cincinnati was the Cincinnati Riots of 1829. Cincinnati was full of irish immigrants and they disliked the competition they received from the African American community in the area. Irish attacked African Americans in the area trying to get them to leave the area, leaving more jobs for the immigrants. Some of the African Americans left, while others stayed and fought for their jobs and lives. Another attack occurred later in 1836, this time attacking a printing press that was publishing a anti-slavery newspaper.

The ideas that have been constructed surrounding gender within Africa has severely impacted the well-being and disempowered the women and children living within this culture. Significantly less girls go to school, women earn less money than men for paid labor, harmful traditional practices affect their health, and certain cultural norms act as a hindrance to women moving ahead in society. But the larges areas of disempowerment remain in areas such as education and the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). Common events such as rape, torture and violence are all detailed through the biography Go Go Mama by Sally Sara. The novel tells the story of Eugenie Muhayimana who survived the Rwandan Genocide by being forced into being a sex slave to the Hutu people but in the process contracting HIV. The inequality between men and women is extremely prevalent within the culture of Africa and as a result of this women are disempowered greatly.

In a study carried out by Clare (2009) on women´s political participation and influence in Sierra Leone. According to the study Gender relations in Sierra Leone are extremely not equal and women in Sierra Leone face a high level of violence and poverty. Respondents to the study agreed that the patriarchal cultural and religious values which are strong in the northern part of Sierra Leone dictate that women should not speak in public life Clare (2009).However after the war in Sierra Leone there was a shift in women social attitudes on roles women play. The experience of women in conflict and the role they played in peace building opened space for women in public and mobilised them for political action (Clare 2009).

Rwandan women have been having health issues since before the genocide in 1995. The health of Rwandan women is determined upon multiple things, for example their household status and social class. Rwanda women must be dependent upon the male figure rather it is the son, father or husband (Portal, 2017). The women are expected to be protected and managed by the family men. However, women of Rwanda faced abuse, rape and improper care. Due to these types of things the women would be receptive to diseases, illnesses and reproductive system difficulties. Before the genocide in 1994, 63% of deaths were related to the reproductive system (Portal, 2017). Because of rape women would perform abortions