Women's History Month 2020: Suffrage and Racism

Ida B Wells, Wikipedia

Earlier this month I mentioned African American Suffrage Groups. These were vital because white suffrage leaders, even those in the abolition movement,  really weren't as interested in doing something about the racism that African Americans faced as they were in making sure women like themselves had the vote. Some white suffragists were not happy that the 15th amendment didn't include women.

African American women knew especially after the passage of the 15th amendment* that it wasn't enough to just get the right to vote, people had to be able to exercise that right without intimidation. Racism resulted in discrimination and violence against  African Americans. 

An issue that plagued the country, aside from the lack of voting rights, was lynching. Ida B Wells brought attention not only to suffrage but also to lynching. "Abroad, she openly confronted white women in the suffrage movement who ignored lynching. Because of her stance, she was often ridiculed and ostracized by women’s suffrage organizations in the United States."[1]

Hall, Jacquelyn Down. Revolt Against Chivalry. Jessie Daniel Ames and the Women's Campaign Against Lynching

Voting is really an issue that one must study in relation to time and place. And voting isn't simply about the physical act of voting. It's influenced by all kinds of other issues including abolition, temperance, labor unions, polygamy, and racism. Women in various social movements, with different religious beliefs, and working at various jobs had their reasons to support or not support suffrage rights.

All of this should help to inform your search for your female ancestors activities and records.

Resources

YouTube - Black ProGen Live 
YouTube - Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit
AfriGeneas




*prohibits the federal government and each state from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude)

[1] "Ida B Wells-Barnett, National Women's History Museum (https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/ida-b-wells-barnett: accessed 13 March 2020).