Women In The Civil Rights Movements

Improved Essays
Bryan 1
Women across the country on Election Day in 1960 celebrated the 40th anniversary of their constitutional right to vote (Collins 63). The start of a movement for women was a metamorphosis from a homemaker. Newspapers said there were likely to be more women than men casting their ballots for president (Collins 63). It was clear that women valued their new found right to vote. The first time in the nation 's history was this to happen (Collins 63). World War II had just ended, and the world was changing for women. Men were returning from war only to find that the women that left behind had changed (Langley 267). The women blossomed under these new leadership responsibilities. They were no longer dependent on men instead wanting to be
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Not only would these amendments affect women but society as a whole. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, proposed by John F. Kennedy, ushered in the idea that women had some control over their future (Lapidus 27). A new thought for the people since the men had previously always been the decision makers of the household that gave women new responsibilities. The Equal Rights Amendment, which failed to pass two separate times, was reintroduced by the leaders of the National Organization of Women (Heffner 481). The Organization zealously tried to get the amendment passed, but they were not successful. The National Organization of Women started by Betty Friedan, Pauli Murray and Shirley Chisholm (Greenhouse 36). This organization was zealous in its attempts to advocate women (Heffner 482). Many felt that the intensity of this organization did not represent all women. The women were "to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society" (Heffner 484). Women wanted value but not considered radical. Now women were to exercise all privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men" (Heffner 485). A helpful step for women was to gain some influential roles in society in the 1960 's. The women began to stand up for their rights and insist upon equality. Women began to feel empowered and to speak up to take …show more content…
More women than men in 2014 have more votes by 12 percent. Even though we are a far way from being equal men to women in the Senate and the House we are growing in numbers daily (Gender Difference 3). Also, a new trend in women is more women go to college than men too. Even though there were many significant changes in the 1960 's for women 's rights, it is not still equal and can still be improved. But if it were not for the women activists in the 1960 's there would not be rights there are

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