The Progressive Movement Between 1870-1920's

Between 1870-1920, The progressive era emerged as a way to fix many of the ills of American society that had developed during the great spurt of industrial growth in the last quarter of the 19th century. This was done through multiple reformers who spoke out on issues such as temperance, sex education, rights for workers, and overall activists. Two of the most prominent movements were the Women’s and African American’s movements. Though both groups may have had different means of achieving the goals they had set, they are similar in that their goals were somewhat similar.
Women's clubs/organizations began working to fix the social problems which were rampant at the time. Women were essential to the temperance movement, improving housing standards,
In general, they would participate in society and try to improve it as a whole. An example of this would have been Hull House, founded by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr, that provided many services to the community. Its workers offered classes and managed a playground, theater,gymnasium, and boarding house. The purpose of Hull House was to shelter poorer immigrants and ‘Americanize’ them while they stay. The premise of Hull House was simply to better the lives of immigrants and in a way address the issue of poor housing. Other reformers like E.C. Stanton and S.B. Anthony created the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA), which directed its efforts toward changing laws and were against the 15th Amendment since it explicitly excluded women. Another reformist, Lucy Stone, formed the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). Leaders of the AWSA opposed the NWSA’s agenda as they viewed it as having the aim to continue a national reform effort at the state level and be divisive. Since the racial divide was a real issue, the National Association of Colored Women was established in 1896. The goal of the NACW was to develop the economic, moral, religious and social welfare of women and children, just like many women’s rights organizations did. The NACW also worked endlessly to terminate social and racial inequality. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was another organization which resulted as an outgrowth of the Niagara Movement. Since 1909, the organization has been essential to fighting social and racial inequality through legislation, court cases, and protests. Many African American progressive reformers also wrote articles to show what African Americans at this time had to go through. For example, Ida B. Wells was a journalist who wrote about the lynchings in the South. Wells work was very exposing and it would eventually lead