Race and Female Perspective

The article by DuBois talks about two major waves of feminism. The first major major wave occurred during the abolitionist movement in which women fought with the same passion as men to set the slaves free, but instead they were put to do the backstage work such as collecting signatures for the petition. Women were reprimanded if they stepped outside of the “women sphere” by trying to become outspoken leaders in the movement. This mold changed when two ex-slave holders, the Grimke Sisters, stepped up to the plate and became a strong force in speaking out in the movement as they were supported by some male abolitionists as well. The Grimke sisters brought in a hint of feminism at this point by breaking the norms in society for the woman’s role. Then came the second wave of feminism through an official movement that was directed towards the actual questioning and fight for change of the role of women which was put into action shortly after the Grimke sister in 1840. There were two major abolitionists figures named Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton who were delegates in the movement, but were shunned by the continuance of male superiority when asked to leave the official delegate conference room in London. Women continued to be receive much negative results even after they put all their effort and focused on their patriotic duty to their country and yet they were not rewarded kindly. Instead they were excluded by the 14th Amendment which said that all male citizens were created equally, thus women were not even considered citizens and did not even have the right to vote. After this women took matters into their own hands and no longer trusted the men to help them in gaining their rights, because the country continued to be led by male egotism. Stanton and Mott were the first women who made their voices heard and wrote the Declaration of Sentiments which stated all the wrongdoings that men have done against women since the beginning of time. The main goal of this declaration was to send the message that all human beings should be treated equally and with the same respect, thus women have the right to be citizens as well.

Soujourner Truth gives another perspective on the obstacles that African-American women were suffering at the time. Truth writes about he differences of how white women were respected by men and how African American women were invisible and hardly acknowledged by society. At least women in the north were making strides to prove their existence (citizenship) in the country, but it was nearly impossible for black women to be heard and fight for their rights as well. It is unbelievable to see how far this country has come in breaking down walls and barriers for women. We now have a beautiful African American women as our first lady which defies all norms and stereotypes of all the previous first lady’s and women in power.