Black men may have had the right to vote before women, but chances of them actually being able to exercise their rights were slim to none. Never seen a white women on display like this. Not negating the Womens Suffrage movement, just pointing this out to show the huge difference in treatment black men received in 1920 compared to white women. In a lot of these pictures there are actually white women in the photos smiling and proud.
I joined a conversation about women’s rights yesterday at work with two white women.
It was interesting until one co-worker started questioning why African American history received so much attention in comparison to women’s studies. All history should be discussed, there is nothing wrong with her desire to learn about other minority groups and their struggles. However I do have a problem when people minimize African American history in the process.
For some reason the co-worker made it a point to tell another co-worker and me that black men could vote before women. I told her it was true on paper, but in reality not so much. My comment was not taken very seriously and their conversation continued. I didn’t speak the rest of the day, but my mind was racing and I thought, there is no way I can act okay with her perception of African American history.
Black men were giving the right to vote before white women. To point that out in order to say that white women were discriminated more than black men is extremely ignorant, irresponsible and insensitive. It ignores the fact that black men and women were strategically and effectively disenfranchised in southern states, by literacy laws, poll taxes, threats and intimidation.
Black men risked their lives when they held signs up demanding equal rights. I am for all people, but I cant stand when people compare struggles.
In actuality white women could vote long before black men. Why not bring up the fact that white women did not include black women in their fight for WOMEN’S rights?
I would rather come together but when I hear people negate African American history using erroneous information in order to try and equate treatment received in this country between white women and black people, I get really offended.