Women's Roles

During the Progressive Era, spanning the 1890s through 1920s, Americans were widely exposed to the injustices takening place in the social system. [1] Many groups formed to work towards a better America. During this time period African Americans began to receive some civil rights. For African American women this time brought the raise of their role in society. Their struggles remained far harder than those of white women, but they desired to help their race prosper in the white dominated American society. Their belief of alcohol hindering the potential of African Americans led them to form temperance groups. These groups spread, and in addition to alcohol they fought against the lynching of blacks.[2] Lynching was not reserved as a punishment for blacks or men. Accounts of female lynching can be found for whites and blacks alike, such as Ellen Watson and Laura Nelson.[3] While female temperance groups worked toward eliminating lynching they, unfortunately, also had the unintended impact of encouraging white men in the act of lynching African Americans. White men began to feel more intimidated by black men who were now becoming sober and were able to work harder, threatening white supremacy in society.[4] Not all women were innocent in supporting the violent act of lynching. Images, such as that on the right, show white women present at lynching sites, being as supportive of the act as the men they stand

with. [5] 

Articles, such as the one displayed below, also demonstrate the praise which white females, in this case girls, received for witnessing the graphic event.[6] It was as though they had been the lucky observers of a joyous occasion. Perhaps it was even seen as a sort of initiation for them into adult society. 

Other women played an even more direct role in the death of black men. The accusation of rape of a white woman was often used as the charge for lynching black men. While some women may not have brought this accusation against the man being charged, they would not deny it to release than man whose life was at stake. In some cases, women brought these accusations against black men themselves, being true or not.[7] See “Will Brown Video” on the left of the home page for an example of this sort of situation.

Countering the support of some white women for lynching, in addition to southern temperance groups previously discussed, were the efforts of women such as Ida B. Wells. Well known for supporting causes through a literary medium, Wells had a powerful voice in the anti-lynching movement. She published many articles in The Memphis Free Speech, a newspaper of which she was part owner, raising awareness of the wrongs of lynching.[8] The article shown here was an effort by Wells to point out the amount of energy being spent against African Americans receiving justice rather than the amount that should be spent to obtain it for them.[9] 

Anti-lynching was a wide spread cause among women. It was particularly predominant with African American women such as those shown below protesting the violent act at the White House.[10]

See Footnotes tab at the top of the page for sources.