The Changes In The Life Of African American Women During 1918-1965
There were many changes in the social and political front that affected women during 1918-1965. After World War One, women began to possess an independent spirit and the days of being submissive housewives were long gone. African American women and American women in general, experienced workforce changes, access to educational opportunities and developed a political voice in a men’s world.
To understand the key changes to women of any ethnic group during this time period, we must first understand what their life was like prior to this time. Caucasian women of the 1800’s traditionally centered their life around their farms and family. They were free to come and go as they pleased. African American women worked outside of their homes though. …show more content…
Roosevelt made the first federal appointment of an African American Women to the Director of Negro Affairs in 1936. His appointee, Mary McLeod Bethune a civil rights leader and educator who also founded the National Council of Negro Women and Bethune-Cookman College. She served as the informal race leader at large for the administration. She was also one of the most influential leaders in the black Cabinet. In 1939, Crystal Bird Fauset was elected to the Pennsylvania House becoming the first female African-American state legislator. A year later Jane Matilda Bolin was appointed the first African-American Female justice to a bench in the United States. These women are examples of women pursing goals in professions that they were passionate about. They paved the way not only for minority women but all women (Lewis).
Eleanor Roosevelt was appointed as Chairwomen of Kennedy’s President’s Commission of the Status of women in 1961. This commission’s goal was to explore key issues affecting women and to make proposals in areas of law, employment policy, and education. Some positive results of this commission was a noticeable change in fair hiring practices, paid maternity leave, and affordable child care (Henretta 909). This commission helped develop the women’s movement of the 1960’s. Although great strides had been made for equality of men and women, minority or not, it was not fully achieved at this point in
To understand the key changes to women of any ethnic group during this time period, we must first understand what their life was like prior to this time. Caucasian women of the 1800’s traditionally centered their life around their farms and family. They were free to come and go as they pleased. African American women worked outside of their homes though. …show more content…
Roosevelt made the first federal appointment of an African American Women to the Director of Negro Affairs in 1936. His appointee, Mary McLeod Bethune a civil rights leader and educator who also founded the National Council of Negro Women and Bethune-Cookman College. She served as the informal race leader at large for the administration. She was also one of the most influential leaders in the black Cabinet. In 1939, Crystal Bird Fauset was elected to the Pennsylvania House becoming the first female African-American state legislator. A year later Jane Matilda Bolin was appointed the first African-American Female justice to a bench in the United States. These women are examples of women pursing goals in professions that they were passionate about. They paved the way not only for minority women but all women (Lewis).
Eleanor Roosevelt was appointed as Chairwomen of Kennedy’s President’s Commission of the Status of women in 1961. This commission’s goal was to explore key issues affecting women and to make proposals in areas of law, employment policy, and education. Some positive results of this commission was a noticeable change in fair hiring practices, paid maternity leave, and affordable child care (Henretta 909). This commission helped develop the women’s movement of the 1960’s. Although great strides had been made for equality of men and women, minority or not, it was not fully achieved at this point in