Nicki Hosey

Argument/Thesis

Following the end of WWI, the 1920s were an influential period that instigated further progression for recognition of African Americans and women.

Before 1920s: Women

Limited involvement in society Considered a lower class

Cult of Domesticity Women were essentially expected to care for their families and husbands while the men handled economic and political affairs, And before this they had even less of a role.

There were certainly earlier attempts to gain suffrage and more rights for women, though. For example Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Seneca Falls Convention

Women in the Workforce

As it was the Progressive Era in addition to following the war, women were beginning to become more involved in society. World War I instigated increased participation in the workforce. They had taken initiation in helping while the men were at war.

Womens Committee of the Council of

National Defense 25% increase Womens Bureau

Deciding how to spend their own money became a more available option.

Feminism

Women continued to seek control over their rights.

Equal Employment

Opportunities Social Equality Personal Rights and Freedom Citizens became more aware of the changes
Bruce Blivens

National Womens Party

Radical Womens Group It was founded by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns
It was formed through the Congressional Union for

Women Suffrage of 1913 merging with the Womans Party in 1917. They worked towards the passing of the 19th Amendment Membership was at its prime from 1919 to 1920
35,000 t0 60,000 members It did experience a decline after the 19th Amendment

was passed in 1920, but there were still several goals for the equality of the sexes being reached.

The 19th Amendment

(To many women, it was extremely upsetting that the) 14th and 15th Amendments (were) passed without mentioning women (In fact, the 14th was the first amendment to use the word male in the Constitution) James Brooks (was a democratic representative of New York who was the first to offer a woman suffrage amendment in Congress.

(His proposal for Section 2 of the 14th

Amendment in 1866 and his attempt for the same in the 15th amendment in 1869 did not succeed. But they did) Inspired the suffrage movement

The 19th Amendment Continued

(Over time) States began to allow the right to vote to women (sometimes only in part) (This caused more pressure for a federal amendment allowing it.) Alice Paul led the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage in 1915

(And they, along with other groups,

held) Campaigns and protests over the issue

(While he had at first seemed hesitant to support their cause,) President Woodrow Wilson addressed the Senate in support of their suffrage in 1918 (But this was unsuccessful and it was not for two more years that it was) Ratified in 1920

Flappers

(Along with women having a new right to vote, there was a) Newfound freedom for the people
Women recreated their

image. Sexually liberated

Control over their own

bodies Restrictive clothing replaced with shorter and more revealing outfits
Corset Check Rooms

More makeup Scandalous dancing Drinking beer

African Americans

The developing culture also included the African Americans. While the Civil Rights Movement was yet to come, the ideas of racial equality continued to progress and the 1920s included several advancements.

Before 1920s: African Americans

African Americans had the very negative start of Slavery and mistreatment in America They were also considered a lower class if they were considered at all. One of the primary issues leading to the Civil War was slavery.
Even though they were fighting for their freedom in a

way, they could not serve as the whites for years But despite their earning suffrage and emancipation following the war, they still were treated unfairly.

Black Nationalism

Beginning in the 1920s, black nationalism was a movement for empowering African Americans. This self-identity movement originated with abolitionist policies and ideas
Martin Delaney played a significant role in the instigation

of Black Nationalism with his support of emigration to Africa.

His reasoning behind this advocacy was that he believed

the black community did not have a true voice in society and they needed to initiate their own land and policies. His ideas as well as those similar created Black Nationalism and these ideas were largely involved in the social and political progression concerning African Americans in the 1920s.

Marcus Garvey
He was a major figure in developing and

strengthening the arguments and beliefs of the abolitionists. He developed abolitionist ideas to contribute to Black Nationalism. His movement began just before the 1920s with such organizations as the Universal Negro Improvement Association.
Supported the idea of unity within the black

community and improving on their rights through working on their society themselves (through self-improvement) Based in Jamaica, as he was a Jamaican immigrant

Jazz Age
Following World War I, Americans were celebrating their prosperity and the end of the war. As with the flappers, this time offered more personal freedom and expression for the African Americans. In this era of experimentation many citizens embraced the opportunity to expand upon their culture and desires.

Though African Americans were still considered

a lower class, their involvement in the Jazz Age, particularly through music, allowed for a growth in their status as a race.

Jazz and Blues

Derived from the South and Midwest working class, the blues inspired jazz.
New Orleans was where it truly originated. African Americans, particularly the workers, were the

principal sources of this genre of music.

They were still struggling as the weaker group,

economically, and this music frequently expressed their emotions and troubles.
Overtime, it spread from New Orleans to St. Louis,

Chicago, New York, and then the West Coast.

The blues often contained strong references to slave rituals

Bessie Smith

Of the many important contributors to Jazz and Blues, Smith was one of the most significant. She had an original sound and innovative ideas.

Corresponding with the economic troubles and those relating to labor in this music, she incorporated her personal issues in her songs and translated her reactions and emotions through her tone, as well. During the 1920s, following an early start in show business, she performed in multiple venues.

This included the popular nightclub Paradise Gardens in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Her first release was in 1923 and was highly successful. This led to her working with many famous musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Buster Bailey. Smith performed in front of a broad range of audiences and made monumental progressions for African Americans and women. (In fact, she was one of the few black artists to perform for white people. Another significant event was that she was the first African American woman to broadcast live on local radio stations in Memphis and Atlanta) She was highly acclaimed and a prominent representation of African Americans and women in the 1920s with her success and great involvement in progressing her own career.

Harlem Renaissance
The 1920s were a time of new opportunities for African American culture overall, not just for music. Black culture began to be celebrated more widely than in the past. Starting primarily in Harlem, New York, the ideas of embracing and celebrating black culture.

The Great Migration was generated by the African

Americans hoping for better success in work in the Northern states, primarily the cities. They sought the urban development and possibility of increased opportunities. This movement brought jazz further into the cities and eventually spread as far as the Caribbean and Europe. Langston Hughes was a large part of Harlem after arriving in New York City in 1921.

Cotton Club

The Cotton Club was a significant part of Harlem as it was a known cultural center.
Not only whites came

but black people came during the 1920s and saw different popular acts.

Settlement Houses

Settlement houses embraced more cultural groups in society and taught the common values of the middle-class. Beginning in the late 1800s, these houses continued throughout the 1920s and beyond.
Eventually, African Americans

initiated neighborhood settlements. From this, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was derived.
In 1927, the NAACP fought for the

end of all-white primaries.

Conclusion

The 1920s allowed for further development in the rights and influence of women as well as African Americans through changes in culture, politics, and society as a whole. Women used the initial efforts of women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to finally achieve the cause they had advocated. Along with their political progression including the 19th Amendment being passed in 1920, women were able to redefine their image in society.