The legal right and acceptance of women to vote in the United States of America was established over several decades. Initially, it started within various localities and states but was embraced nationally in 1920. Women’s suffrage gained strength in the 1840s emerging from the Women’s rights movement. It became an increasingly important aspect after the Seneca Falls Convention passed a resolution in favor of women’s suffrage. The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women’s right convention, and its resolution attracted much opposition from the organizers who argued that the idea was too extreme. In 1869, after two competing organizations were established, the first national suffrage organization was formed. These resulted into the establishment of the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1890 after many years of rivalry and competition. However, suffragists filed several lawsuits around 1870s when their attempts to vote were rejected (Joannou and June 128). The US Supreme court ruled against women in 1875 when it argued that there was no constitutional right for women to vote. The ruling gave the suffragist a fresh momentum and began campaigns intended for the amendment of the United States constitution.
After very many years of fights, demonstrations and campaigns, the Nineteenth Amendment was incorporated into the U.S. Constitution in 1920. The amendment clearly stipulated that every citizen of the United States of America had a right to vote and shall not be denied or deprived of such right by any state on account of sex. The act provided a landmark and a sense of direction for women (Joannou and June 9). Since then, women’s rights to fairness and equality began to thrive. It led to a new era in the United States of America. The Civil Rights Movement dates back to as early as 1896. It started as the Africa- American Civil Rights Movement that involved social movements intended to end discrimination and racial segregation especially against black Americans (Levy 8). The aim of this movement was to obtain legal recognition federal protection of their citizenship rights as enunciated in the constitutional amendments adopted during the post-war period.The movement operated major campaigns and in 1955, their acts of civil disobedience resulted into crisis situations (Newman 28). These prompted the federal, state and local government to act swiftly. The agenda was to address the inequalities and discrimination faced by African Americans.
In addition, the African Americans felt that the level of oppression and race inspired violence was increasingly becoming unacceptable. Inequality was dominant, and laws both at the local and state levels promoted such acts of inequality but there was a need to eradicate (Levy 8). The U.S. Supreme court, however, in 1954 struck down the “separate but equal” doctrine, which formed the basis of discrimination at the state level (Buechler 82). Civil rights activist continued with the fight using nonviolent and civil disobedience to bring about change. The most significant accomplishments of the Africa-America Civil Rights Movement were the constitutional amendment that established the citizenship status of black Americans. Moreover, it led to the abolishment of slavery, and the judicial precedents greatly affected the opportunities available for the disabled, women and victims of discrimination. The movement not only obtained citizenship rights for the black Americans but have also reshaped the prevailing conceptions of the role of the government. The main role of the government is to promote and protect the rights of its citizens. In addition, it provided the basis of understanding the nature of civil rights. The federal government, therefore, made a legislative headway after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was established and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Suffrage Movement operated similar agendas (Buechler 86). Both movements were against discrimination be it racial or sexual in nature. These movements mobilized strongly because its interests at hand had serious implications on both the state and the federal government. As a matter of fact, the movements were addressing matters of national importance, which had been overlooked by the government. The protesters were mainly agitated by the continuity of the government to undermine their rights yet it claimed to champion the interests of its citizens (Newman 50). The tremendous advancements brought about by these movements have had major effects on policy. The African American struggle left a permanent mark in the American society. Government’s repression, racial discrimination and support of segregation of public facilities and institutions came to an end although segregation persisted in other regions. On one hand, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited sex discrimination. On the other hand, the Women Suffrage Movement through the white women’s activists used overtly racist arguments to push forward their agendas. Therefore, both movements attended to racism as an issue in their perspectives. Universities and colleges particularly for the south who had excluded the black Americans started accepting and recruiting them.
Furthermore, the movements fought for equal treatment as citizens of United States of America. The right to vote and the right to citizenship was their driving force. The rights discourse was adopted and embraced by the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Both movements had a common language and philosophy of rights that facilitated mutual progress and cooperation. The ideas of the Women’s Suffrage Movement were based on the liberal notion of the rights of the individual. During 1970s, the same ideas and ideals were the basis of Civil Rights Movement. All citizens in the United States of America were equal before the law. Such transformations brought about development of other important policies such as the eradication of poverty. It initiated the need to care for the plight of others and initiated the poor people’s campaign. The Civil Rights and the Women’s Suffrage Movements were devoted to protecting laws and the enforcement mechanisms. It essentially transformed the American democracy (Buechler 87). It served as a center for the development and advancement of groups and efforts involving women, students, persons with disabilities and the elderly. Programs continue to thrive today on ways of improving such policies making United States of America a better place to live. The women and black American felt that they did not enjoy the same treatment and privileges like the other Americans. Their regions were heavily underdeveloped and characterized by class differences. They lagged behind in terms of economic development.
The women’s Movement in America has also been linked to the struggles for civil rights for African Americans. The Welfare Rights Movement formed by poor women of low-income families has joined hands with the Civil Rights Movement and labor unions in order to accomplish their goals. Due to increased industrialization and economic growth, economic stratification was inevitable. Racial, religious and ethnic differences emerged and reduced the unity of protesters. However, there was increased mobilization of groups based on ethnic and racial issues. The outcome is that although it promoted discrimination, the government response towards ethnic and racial discrimination has taken root and prohibited such offences. Additionally, the political representation and nourishment was the driving force for these movements. Their ideas and values were directed towards shaping the political culture. Dissident and minority viewpoints gained some appreciation. For example, in 1917, the Women’s suffragists paraded in New York carrying placards of more than one million women signatures. Such demonstrations shaped the dominant ideas and values toward that benefit the movement. These led to the fulfillment of the movements demands such as the ability of women to vote and engage in political affairs in America today (Crawford, Jacqueline and Barbara 183).
Finally, both movements advocated a radical change in the political will, which resulted into conflict between the state and the protester. Black women took part in the American Equal Rights Association. This led to the establishment of the state laws and the Civil Rights Movement in 1960s that served to protect the rights of people. During the civil war, both the women and African Americans did not have civil rights. However, the formation of the two movements fought for the civil rights. Similarity in ideologies and values promoted unity where new ideas become legitimate in the dominant system of the government. Non-governmental adversaries also joined hands, and this led to increased mobilization and thus increased magnitude of grievances (Crawford, Jacqueline and Barbara 183). In the end, all these causal factors promoted the kind of America that exists today. The fact that women have equal opportunity like men in voting and securing political positions is a milestone that America has undergone. The degree of unity in United State is also not comparable to that of any country in the world. These are because America embraced all the people and treated the as one before the law. It implies that activists’ protesters and movements have helped shape the policy and the level of growth and development in the country.
In conclusion, it is arguable that both movements have helped shape America. The way the law was observed, and human rights obeyed are attributed to policies raised by activists. It serves as a reminder, therefore, that although movements can cause civil unrest, they serve to polish and strengthen the government. It acts as a system of balances that monitors the government’s activities and pinpoints problems that require immediate resolution. These promote unity and prosperity among the people.
Works Cited
Buechler, Steven M. Women's Movements in the United States: Woman Suffrage, Equal Rights, and Beyond. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1990. Print.
Crawford, Vicki L, Jacqueline A. Rouse, and Barbara Woods. Women in the Civil Rights Movement: Trailblazers and Torchbearers, 1941-1965. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990. Print.
Joannou, Maroula, and June Purvis. The Women's Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1998. Print.
Levy, Peter B. The Civil Rights Movement. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Greenwood Press, 1998. Print.
Newman, Mark. The Civil Rights Movement. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2004. Print.
