There is credibility in the viewpoint of historians arguing that the 1920s witnessed an expansion of rights for Americans, moreover, it can be added that the erasure of the first civil rights movement started in the 1920s. The NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organisation is just one example. Throughout that time the organisation consistently helped to fight injustices, racial violence, the denial of voting, and discrimination in employment among black people. Furthermore, for the first time, women gained the right to vote with ratification of the 19th Amendment. Also, “roaring” twenties brought people more freedom; strictly speaking, Americans could talk more openly about sex, women could find jobs more easily, and working outside home was more acceptable. It is also worth mentioning, that in 1924, Indian Citizenship Act granted all Native Americans the rights of citizenship, including the right to vote in federal elections. On top of that, that was the time for formation of the American Civil Liberties Union to fight civil liberties abuses and, eventually, turning the union into American’s main non-profit organisation to defend the rights enumerated in the Constitution. It is important to note that while it was complicated for the individual freedoms to be tested in real life in full during the 1920s it was the time for the formation and advancement of civil rights.
Although it can be argued that by the end of the 1920's civil rights were still limited for many Americans, there is reason to suggest that as a whole they improved. America was a very racially segregated country under the Jim Crow Laws and a sense of overall racial discrimination. The 1920's saw the emergence of both the NAACP and the UNIA. Both of these organisations, albeit through very different approaches, aimed at increasing the rights and respect of all African Americans. The rights of Americans also expanded significantly in August of 1920 when women gained complete suffrage under the 19th Amendment. This amendment was merely the beginning of many woman's rights that were to to granted throughout the 1920's.
The 1920’s did indeed witness an expansion of rights for Americas, especially for American women. It was not only an era of expanded right for women but also an era of enlightening and eye opening for females. In terms of rights, the thirty-sixth state passed the nineteenth amendment on August 26, 1920, giving women the right to vote. Socially, many women, in particular middle class women, found a new sense of freedom and knowledge. This included such changes as a change from a traditional long hairstyle to what became known as the ‘bobbed’ hair style and a new approach by women as many began to flaunt their sexuality.
The 1920s was a time of change in America. The main groups to benefit from the expansion of civil rights were Blacks and women. The ‘roaring twenties’ revival of American culture led to almost the total relaxation of the country, with laws being changed through the work of civil rights groups, most notably the NAACP. With more freedom from laws Americans could begin to dispute their circumstances, leading to women’s suffrage. So all in all I agree with the argument that Americans gained more rights because of event that took place before and during the 1920s.
The 1920's saw some expansion of rights for Americans, but the most significant change was a cultural one which may have paved the way for further expansion of rights. Rights for white women expanded from the beginning of the decade with the 19th Amendment, allowing them the right to vote. However, this still left out the rights of African-American women. There was a rise in campaigning against long standing laws such as the Jim Crow statutes, which shows that the expansion of rights was at the forefront of peoples’ minds, however, not a lot of change was made to these laws during this decade.
I do agree with historians that contend the 1920's was a decade in which rights for many American's expanded. The main beneficiaries of these civil rights movements were woman and African-Americans. The suffrage movement, which could be traced back to the mid-19th century, culminated in the ratification of changes the 19th amendment in 1920, giving woman the right to vote. African-American's also benefitted from the civil rights movement taking place and the rise of both the UNIA and the NAACP. These two parties, although different in approach, but had the aim of equality for African-Americans.
I would agree with this argument as there was an advancement of human rights, although that’s not to say that there weren’t some setbacks along the way. With the Jim Crow laws, there was a new unprecedented level of segregation and separation of the races. Thankfully, with the work of the NAACP, Civil rights were expanding and opportunities were arising for all, in particular for those people of colour. The 1920’s for Women especially brought on a sense of liberation and emancipation from older traditions. For example, women were given the right to vote, the beginning of the ‘bob’ haircut and a more open mind to sexual experimentation showed a change and advancement in the era. SARAH WATSON #2146 5088
The1920’s was a significant decade in history for the expansion of rights for many Americans, in particular, African Americans and women. Although the Jim Crow Laws enforced segregation, the persistent work of black civil rights groups such as the NAACP and the UNIA, saw the advancement of coloured people towards equal rights and opportunities, as well as the integration of blacks into a multi-racial America. Additionally, with help from the NAWSA, American women obtained suffrage in 1920’s, with the ratification of the 19th amendment, asserting that, “The right of citizens to vote shall not be abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex”. As a consequence of these newly gained rights, we see the emergence of the flapper, a modern, liberated woman, embracing equality.
The 1920’s served as an era of immense change and growth both politically and socially in America and a result the rights of many Americans began to change during this period. For women, political change came with the women’s suffrage movement as the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment allowed women to vote and play a more ardent role in the nations political arena. Socially, the era bought liberation for women as the flapper movement saw the departure of stringent and restrictive Victorian traditions toward a more emancipated and independent woman. The 1920’s were also a time of prodigious reform and change for the African-American community. While the Jim Crow laws still promoted the segregation and abuse of the African-American population, great advancements towards political and social equality were made during this period with groups such as the NAACP and acts such as the failed Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill fighting the disenfranchisement, discrimination and abuse of the African-American community, advancing and solidifying the movement for civil rights and equality. While the rights of many Americans were still restricted during and following the 1920’s, the era ushered in a period of emancipation that not only expanded the rights of those living during the period, but also shaped future political and social rights movements that would follow.
Overall, I don't think the 1920s were a time in which the rights most Americans enjoyed increased. Of course, an extremely important exception to this is women's suffrage, which was won in 1920 - but it must be noted that not all women could make use of this. Black women in particular often could not vote, just like black men, not because the law at that time prevented them but because racist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, with tacit support from the state, used violence to block them. While there were struggles aimed at securing and defending the rights of people of colour in the US, this was not a period in which those struggles were usually successful. If anything, it was white supremacist forces on the rise in this period. As well, workers faced increased difficulty organising collectively in unions, after the labour movement had been at a strength in the 1910s. While there were some gains in this period, there was also considerable backsliding, particularly for workers and the poor.
I agree with the idea that the 1920’s did witness an expansion of rights for many Americans. The main beneficiaries of this time period were African Americans and American women who gained important rights in their overall fight for equality. The development of the NAACP and the UNIA helped to establish rights and respect for African Americans despite the Jim Crow Laws. The ratification of the 19th amendment further evidences the expansion of rights present within this time frame as women were given the right to vote. Furthermore, the liberation of attitudes in regards to the development of the “bob” haircut and other initiatives aimed at accentuating freedom of expression were also present. (Myles Birch – 22664742)
While I do agree the 1920's saw the expansion of rights for many Americans I think that the marked gains in that period were not nearly as significant as the ones that would follow in later parts of the century. I think that the groundwork for a lot of what happened later was laid in the 1920's and the changes were very important for that reason. The creations of groups like the NAACP (which would only grow further in importance) and the UNIA (which despite fading under Garvey still influenced Malcolm X who would be an important player in social upheaval later on. I think in a similar way the right to vote for women given during the 1920's was of huge significance in laying groundwork but as a single issue not as much of a forward movement in equality as the changes in the workplace and attitude towards women that were to come later in the 20th Century.
I believe that the 1920s in America witnessed an expansion of rights for many Americans, but mostly focussing on the rights that women gained during this period of time. Woman proved to gain much political gain in the 1920s. Before this period only men were allowed to vote. However, groups such as the NAWSA and the National Women’s Party put forth the argument that women should be able to vote and wanted to make it legal in America for both men and women to politically participate. This proved successful on August 26, 1920, when the 36th State ratified the 19th Amendment that allowed everyone to vote no matter what sex a citizen was.
The 1920’s observed an important expansion of rights, particularly in the social and political arenas, which incited a movement towards a more egalitarian American society. The traditional role of women had changed as the sexual revolution marked way for an increasingly independent and liberated “new woman”. This move away from the conservative Victorian era can be seen in the symbolic bobbed hair, and the introduction of short skirts and makeup on the everyday woman. Politically, the womens’ rights organisations NAWSA and NWP were instrumental in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment which granted female suffrage. Although African American women were excluded from the Nineteenth Amendment, there was evidence of an alliance developing between Southern middle-class black and white women as a result of the CIC Womens’ committee. The African American civil rights organisations NAACP and UNIA were created in response to the discrimination felt under the Jim Crow laws. These organisations fought for the rights and opportunities of African Americans, and were met with some success. In one instance, the NAACP was successful in winning the right for African Americans to serve as officers in World War I. The developments of the 1920’s were fundamental in prompting change in American attitudes about civil rights.
The 1920’s initiated many different ideas throughout American society that later on expanded into bigger and better cultural and political movements. The rights of different social groups were attended to in this century and claimed much more attention from other Americans. The expansion of rights was prevalent throughout the 20’s; with women being allowed to vote and African-Americans moving forward in their fight for equality. With these inclusions of rights especially in the case of American women, feminism and female independence became a major trend throughout American society. This century allowed for a wave of change within the American people, which allowed for a ripple effect that inevitably lead to upheaval over African American, American women and other minorities’ rights.
The 1920’s was a time for change, consumerism became an important part of life amongst middle class white Americans, and many African Americans where migrating from the south to urban areas in the north. Even though it was a time of change it did not witness an expansion of civil rights for many Americans. African Americans in the south were becoming increasing disenfranchised due to Jim Crow, in the north they still experienced less rights than the white Americans who were given better job opportunities. White women appeared to be making considerable gains once the flapper was introduced and where gained access to the work force, however they were still payed considerably less than their male counterparts. The jobs offered to white women were jobs that still fit into the idea of a nurturing woman, such as a secretary who was often referred to as an “office wife”. Even though it appeared that more freedoms had been granted in the 1920’s, these freedoms were now being restricted in new and different ways, such as Jim Crow and socialising women into the nurturing women they ought to be.
Although the 1920s in America was a period of vast inequality, the period can easily be viewed as an integral turning point in the expansion of rights for various minorities’, including groups such as African Americans and Women. In terms of the African American minority, various institutions including the NAACP grew significantly bolstering its numbers considerably and improving its breadth and influence. The growth of this organisation would play a key role in eliminating civil inequalities in the African American community. Women’s role in the expansion of rights must also be noted, as we saw the semblance of a “new woman” emerge. Aside from the approval of the nineteenth amendment which gave women the power to vote, we also saw women evolve from their preceding generation to indulge in a social, sexual and Cultural Revolution.
While the 1920s saw many groups that had previously been marginalised in American society struggle to enhance their rights, little tangible progress was made with regard to African-American and women’s rights. Aside from the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote, there was little more than a subtle shift in gender roles in the United States. The situation was similar for African-Americans. While the debate over how best to enhance the rights of African-Americans was waged between groups such as the NAACP and UNIA, very little progress was made, with Jim Crow laws and racism still prevailing. Nevertheless, while it is going too far to claim that the 1920s witnessed an expansion of rights, there is little doubt that the process started in this decade served to facilitate the reforms that occurred later in the 20th century.
There is credibility in the viewpoint of historians arguing that the 1920s witnessed an expansion of rights for Americans, moreover, it can be added that the erasure of the first civil rights movement started in the 1920s. The NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organisation is just one example. Throughout that time the organisation consistently helped to fight injustices, racial violence, the denial of voting, and discrimination in employment among black people. Furthermore, for the first time, women gained the right to vote with ratification of the 19th Amendment. Also, “roaring” twenties brought people more freedom; strictly speaking, Americans could talk more openly about sex, women could find jobs more easily, and working outside home was more acceptable. It is also worth mentioning, that in 1924, Indian Citizenship Act granted all Native Americans the rights of citizenship, including the right to vote in federal elections. On top of that, that was the time for formation of the American Civil Liberties Union to fight civil liberties abuses and, eventually, turning the union into American’s main non-profit organisation to defend the rights enumerated in the Constitution. It is important to note that while it was complicated for the individual freedoms to be tested in real life in full during the 1920s it was the time for the formation and advancement of civil rights.
ReplyDeleteMaria S. (22504079).
Although it can be argued that by the end of the 1920's civil rights were still limited for many Americans, there is reason to suggest that as a whole they improved.
ReplyDeleteAmerica was a very racially segregated country under the Jim Crow Laws and a sense of overall racial discrimination. The 1920's saw the emergence of both the NAACP and the UNIA. Both of these organisations, albeit through very different approaches, aimed at increasing the rights and respect of all African Americans.
The rights of Americans also expanded significantly in August of 1920 when women gained complete suffrage under the 19th Amendment. This amendment was merely the beginning of many woman's rights that were to to granted throughout the 1920's.
The 1920’s did indeed witness an expansion of rights for Americas, especially for American women. It was not only an era of expanded right for women but also an era of enlightening and eye opening for females. In terms of rights, the thirty-sixth state passed the nineteenth amendment on August 26, 1920, giving women the right to vote. Socially, many women, in particular middle class women, found a new sense of freedom and knowledge. This included such changes as a change from a traditional long hairstyle to what became known as the ‘bobbed’ hair style and a new approach by women as many began to flaunt their sexuality.
ReplyDeleteThe 1920s was a time of change in America. The main groups to benefit from the expansion of civil rights were Blacks and women. The ‘roaring twenties’ revival of American culture led to almost the total relaxation of the country, with laws being changed through the work of civil rights groups, most notably the NAACP. With more freedom from laws Americans could begin to dispute their circumstances, leading to women’s suffrage. So all in all I agree with the argument that Americans gained more rights because of event that took place before and during the 1920s.
ReplyDeleteThe 1920's saw some expansion of rights for Americans, but the most significant change was a cultural one which may have paved the way for further expansion of rights. Rights for white women expanded from the beginning of the decade with the 19th Amendment, allowing them the right to vote. However, this still left out the rights of African-American women. There was a rise in campaigning against long standing laws such as the Jim Crow statutes, which shows that the expansion of rights was at the forefront of peoples’ minds, however, not a lot of change was made to these laws during this decade.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with historians that contend the 1920's was a decade in which rights for many American's expanded. The main beneficiaries of these civil rights movements were woman and African-Americans. The suffrage movement, which could be traced back to the mid-19th century, culminated in the ratification of changes the 19th amendment in 1920, giving woman the right to vote. African-American's also benefitted from the civil rights movement taking place and the rise of both the UNIA and the NAACP. These two parties, although different in approach, but had the aim of equality for African-Americans.
ReplyDeleteNick H. (23028793)
I would agree with this argument as there was an advancement of human rights, although that’s not to say that there weren’t some setbacks along the way. With the Jim Crow laws, there was a new unprecedented level of segregation and separation of the races. Thankfully, with the work of the NAACP, Civil rights were expanding and opportunities were arising for all, in particular for those people of colour. The 1920’s for Women especially brought on a sense of liberation and emancipation from older traditions. For example, women were given the right to vote, the beginning of the ‘bob’ haircut and a more open mind to sexual experimentation showed a change and advancement in the era.
ReplyDeleteSARAH WATSON #2146 5088
The1920’s was a significant decade in history for the expansion of rights for many Americans, in particular, African Americans and women. Although the Jim Crow Laws enforced segregation, the persistent work of black civil rights groups such as the NAACP and the UNIA, saw the advancement of coloured people towards equal rights and opportunities, as well as the integration of blacks into a multi-racial America.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, with help from the NAWSA, American women obtained suffrage in 1920’s, with the ratification of the 19th amendment, asserting that, “The right of citizens to vote shall not be abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex”. As a consequence of these newly gained rights, we see the emergence of the flapper, a modern, liberated woman, embracing equality.
The 1920’s served as an era of immense change and growth both politically and socially in America and a result the rights of many Americans began to change during this period. For women, political change came with the women’s suffrage movement as the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment allowed women to vote and play a more ardent role in the nations political arena. Socially, the era bought liberation for women as the flapper movement saw the departure of stringent and restrictive Victorian traditions toward a more emancipated and independent woman. The 1920’s were also a time of prodigious reform and change for the African-American community. While the Jim Crow laws still promoted the segregation and abuse of the African-American population, great advancements towards political and social equality were made during this period with groups such as the NAACP and acts such as the failed Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill fighting the disenfranchisement, discrimination and abuse of the African-American community, advancing and solidifying the movement for civil rights and equality. While the rights of many Americans were still restricted during and following the 1920’s, the era ushered in a period of emancipation that not only expanded the rights of those living during the period, but also shaped future political and social rights movements that would follow.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I don't think the 1920s were a time in which the rights most Americans enjoyed increased. Of course, an extremely important exception to this is women's suffrage, which was won in 1920 - but it must be noted that not all women could make use of this. Black women in particular often could not vote, just like black men, not because the law at that time prevented them but because racist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, with tacit support from the state, used violence to block them. While there were struggles aimed at securing and defending the rights of people of colour in the US, this was not a period in which those struggles were usually successful. If anything, it was white supremacist forces on the rise in this period. As well, workers faced increased difficulty organising collectively in unions, after the labour movement had been at a strength in the 1910s. While there were some gains in this period, there was also considerable backsliding, particularly for workers and the poor.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea that the 1920’s did witness an expansion of rights for many Americans. The main beneficiaries of this time period were African Americans and American women who gained important rights in their overall fight for equality. The development of the NAACP and the UNIA helped to establish rights and respect for African Americans despite the Jim Crow Laws. The ratification of the 19th amendment further evidences the expansion of rights present within this time frame as women were given the right to vote. Furthermore, the liberation of attitudes in regards to the development of the “bob” haircut and other initiatives aimed at accentuating freedom of expression were also present.
Delete(Myles Birch – 22664742)
While I do agree the 1920's saw the expansion of rights for many Americans I think that the marked gains in that period were not nearly as significant as the ones that would follow in later parts of the century. I think that the groundwork for a lot of what happened later was laid in the 1920's and the changes were very important for that reason. The creations of groups like the NAACP (which would only grow further in importance) and the UNIA (which despite fading under Garvey still influenced Malcolm X who would be an important player in social upheaval later on.
ReplyDeleteI think in a similar way the right to vote for women given during the 1920's was of huge significance in laying groundwork but as a single issue not as much of a forward movement in equality as the changes in the workplace and attitude towards women that were to come later in the 20th Century.
I believe that the 1920s in America witnessed an expansion of rights for many Americans, but mostly focussing on the rights that women gained during this period of time. Woman proved to gain much political gain in the 1920s. Before this period only men were allowed to vote. However, groups such as the NAWSA and the National Women’s Party put forth the argument that women should be able to vote and wanted to make it legal in America for both men and women to politically participate. This proved successful on August 26, 1920, when the 36th State ratified the 19th Amendment that allowed everyone to vote no matter what sex a citizen was.
ReplyDeleteThe 1920’s observed an important expansion of rights, particularly in the social and political arenas, which incited a movement towards a more egalitarian American society. The traditional role of women had changed as the sexual revolution marked way for an increasingly independent and liberated “new woman”. This move away from the conservative Victorian era can be seen in the symbolic bobbed hair, and the introduction of short skirts and makeup on the everyday woman. Politically, the womens’ rights organisations NAWSA and NWP were instrumental in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment which granted female suffrage. Although African American women were excluded from the Nineteenth Amendment, there was evidence of an alliance developing between Southern middle-class black and white women as a result of the CIC Womens’ committee. The African American civil rights organisations NAACP and UNIA were created in response to the discrimination felt under the Jim Crow laws. These organisations fought for the rights and opportunities of African Americans, and were met with some success. In one instance, the NAACP was successful in winning the right for African Americans to serve as officers in World War I. The developments of the 1920’s were fundamental in prompting change in American attitudes about civil rights.
ReplyDeleteKathy Z.
The 1920’s initiated many different ideas throughout American society that later on expanded into bigger and better cultural and political movements. The rights of different social groups were attended to in this century and claimed much more attention from other Americans. The expansion of rights was prevalent throughout the 20’s; with women being allowed to vote and African-Americans moving forward in their fight for equality. With these inclusions of rights especially in the case of American women, feminism and female independence became a major trend throughout American society. This century allowed for a wave of change within the American people, which allowed for a ripple effect that inevitably lead to upheaval over African American, American women and other minorities’ rights.
ReplyDeleteThe 1920’s was a time for change, consumerism became an important part of life amongst middle class white Americans, and many African Americans where migrating from the south to urban areas in the north. Even though it was a time of change it did not witness an expansion of civil rights for many Americans. African Americans in the south were becoming increasing disenfranchised due to Jim Crow, in the north they still experienced less rights than the white Americans who were given better job opportunities. White women appeared to be making considerable gains once the flapper was introduced and where gained access to the work force, however they were still payed considerably less than their male counterparts. The jobs offered to white women were jobs that still fit into the idea of a nurturing woman, such as a secretary who was often referred to as an “office wife”. Even though it appeared that more freedoms had been granted in the 1920’s, these freedoms were now being restricted in new and different ways, such as Jim Crow and socialising women into the nurturing women they ought to be.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the 1920s in America was a period of vast inequality, the period can easily be viewed as an integral turning point in the expansion of rights for various minorities’, including groups such as African Americans and Women. In terms of the African American minority, various institutions including the NAACP grew significantly bolstering its numbers considerably and improving its breadth and influence. The growth of this organisation would play a key role in eliminating civil inequalities in the African American community. Women’s role in the expansion of rights must also be noted, as we saw the semblance of a “new woman” emerge. Aside from the approval of the nineteenth amendment which gave women the power to vote, we also saw women evolve from their preceding generation to indulge in a social, sexual and Cultural Revolution.
ReplyDeleteWhile the 1920s saw many groups that had previously been marginalised in American society struggle to enhance their rights, little tangible progress was made with regard to African-American and women’s rights. Aside from the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote, there was little more than a subtle shift in gender roles in the United States. The situation was similar for African-Americans. While the debate over how best to enhance the rights of African-Americans was waged between groups such as the NAACP and UNIA, very little progress was made, with Jim Crow laws and racism still prevailing. Nevertheless, while it is going too far to claim that the 1920s witnessed an expansion of rights, there is little doubt that the process started in this decade served to facilitate the reforms that occurred later in the 20th century.
ReplyDelete