Daily thought: UWW-women's right to vote, the 19th Amendment

Women were not given the right to vote until 1920 when the 19th amendment passed.

The 14th amendment, passed 3 years after the abolition of slavery in 1868, granted former slaves citizenship but not the right to vote.

In 1870, the15th amendment redefined the 14th amendment adding that Blacks/African Americans had the right to vote but still, women were excluded.

In short, women worldwide were doing all they can to achieve rights that were equal to the rights of men. In America, Black and White women came together until Black women seemed to be the reason for the continued lack in success.

The divide in Black and White women was based largely on the fact that many slaves were not educated and as women who were fighting for voting rights increased; They found education to be a useful argument.

Women fighting for rights became known as the, "women in the suffrage movement."(Stern and Axinn 2012)

Several women suffrage groups joined to form the National American Women's Suffrage Association and the,

"New Association asserted that women could increase the size of the educated voting population and reduce the influence of the ignorant populace. In the South, this argument for women's suffrage was coupled with efforts to curtail the political and civil rights of African Americans." (Stern and Axinn 2012)

Black women usually refer to women rights as, "the struggle within the struggle." There were numerous Black/African American suffrage groups throughout the country such as the National Association of Colored Women and the Alpha Suffrage Club of Chicago.

After the 19th amendment, it was not until the 1960's that Black women could vote without having to write pre-voting essays and/or take pre-voting exams.

We honor women for fighting and joining together as a measure to demand equal and civil rights. Women worldwide continue to struggle; Some still continue to "struggle within the struggle" as well.

Citation:

Stern, M. J. and Axinn, J. - Social Welfare: A History of The American Response To Need Eighth Edition, Chapter 4, page 101.