The Progressive Era PART 2

Reforms for Minorities Progressives– not as dedicated to racial equality as to social, economic, and gender equality. Hostile to immigrant groups or attempted to Americanize them (Think Hull House). Temperance Movement also alienated immigrants– alcohol consumption was part of many of their cultures. Did not fight against segregation.

Reforms for Minorities African Americans: Not unified in how to achieve racial equality. Booker T. Washington urged a patient, gradual effort based on earning equality through training and work in the skilled trades. W.E.B. Du Bois demanded that African Americans receive all constitutional rights immediately.

Movement for equality The NAACP aimed to help African Americans become “physically free from peonage, mentally free from ignorance, politically free from disfranchisement, and socially free from insult.” The NAACP was founded to demand voting and civil rights for African Americans.

The NAACP attracted prominent Progressives to their cause.

Many ethnic groups formed self-help organizations to combat prejudice and protect their rights.

Protection for Jewish Americans 1913 The Anti-Defamation League was formed to defend Jews and others against physical and verbal attacks, false statements, and to “secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike.” 1843 Jewish families formed the B’nai B’rith to provide religious education and support.

Protection for Mexican Americans Mexican Americans formed mutualistas, groups that provided legal assistance and insurance. Many Latinos were subject to unfair labor contracts, which the mutualistas helped to defeat.

Protection for Native Americans & Japanese Americans In 1913, California restricted land ownership to American citizens only, which excluded the Japanese, who were not allowed to become citizens. In a 1922 decision, the Supreme Court allowed the limitation. In 1911, Carlos Montezuma helped form the Society of American Indians to protest federal policy. Nevertheless, by 1932, two thirds of all tribal lands had been sold off.

Reforms for Women National Consumers League Florence Kelley Safer factory conditions Minimum Wage; 8-hour work day Women’s Christian Temperance Union Prohibition Margaret Sanger– Birth Control Proponent Fewer children=better health for women Wanted the poor to have fewer children

Reforms for Women Women’s Suffrage Carrie Chapman Catt of National American Women’s Suffrage Association (NAWSA) Win votes for women on a state by state basis. Movement was put on hold during WWI.

Reforms for Women Women’s Suffrage Alice Paul of National Woman’s Party (NWP) Protested outside White House during WWI. Hunger strikes & demonstrations Wilson asked Congress to give women the vote– reward for their wartime service.

Is the cartoon for or against women’s suffrage? Who would be the target audience of this cartoon? What is the message? “Votes for Women” on the robe. Women in the non-voting states are reaching for her.

Is the poster for or against women’s suffrage? Who would be the target audience of this cartoon? What is the message?

Presidents

Mr. President how long must women wait for liberty?

"Kaiser Wilson" banner held by Alice Paul who led the picketing of the White House, circa 1917-18

The sign reads: “President Wilson is deceiving the world when he appears as the prophet of democracy. President Wilson has opposed those who demand democracy for this country. He is responsible for the disfranchisement of million of Americans. We in American know this. The World will find him out.”

Inez Milholland Boissevain, wearing white cape, seated on white horse at the National American Woman Suffrage Association parade, March 3, 1913, Washington, D.C., 1913. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. Women's suffragists parade down Fifth Avenue, New York, October 1917, carrying the signatures of a million women As the suffragists started down Pennsylvania Avenue, the crowd became abusive and started to close in, knocking the marchers around with hostility. With local police doing little to keep control, the cavalry was called in as 100 women were hospitalized. Many suffragists concluded that public protests might be the quickest route to universal franchise.

Anti-suffragists Those who opposed extending the right to vote to women were called anti-suffragists. Many anti’s were women. Political cartoon mocking anti’s: “O Save Us, Senators, from Ourselves!”

Beliefs of Anti-Suffragists Women were high-strung, irrational, and emotional Women were not smart or educated enough Women should stay at home Women were too physically frail; they would get tired just walking to the polling station Women would become masculine if they voted

Parody from Puck of the anti-World War I protest song "I Did Not Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier" with the context altered to women's suffrage.

19th Amendment Tennessee was the 36th state to ratify, and it passed by only 1 vote. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Passed by Congress June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920,