Women and African Amerricans in the 1920s

Question 1

WOMEN IN THE 1920s

BEFORE THE 1920s

Answer 1

• Wore restrictive clothing, minimal make up. Polite behaviour.
• Didn’t attend sports or smoke in public. Unmarried women had to have a chaperone with them when spending time with a man.
• Few paid jobs for Middle-class women.
• Unmarried women – teachers or secretaries.
• Married – stay at home.
• No right to vote.

Question 2

WOMEN IN THE 1920s

DURING THE 1920s

Answer 2

• FLAPPERS – cur hair short, wore ‘daring’ clothes. Smoked in public. Greater sexual freedom. Women influenced by Hollywood films and magazines.
• WW1 – changed attitudes to work.
• Labour saving devices – more free time – more chance to work?
• 1929 10 million in paid work 24% increase on 1920.
• Right to vote.
• Greater prevalence in modern cities. Traditional values still retained in rural areas.

Question 3

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE 1920s

CONTINUED RACIAL TENSIONS

Answer 3

• USA – History of racism, Esp. in South – worse education and housing than whites. No right to vote.
• Violence and intimidation of KKK (White Supremacists)
• 1919 – 1925 there were 300 African Americans lynched – mob killing, no trial.
• KKK membership soared. Peak 1925 with 4.5 million. By end of 1920s was falling.

Question 4

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE 1920s

IMPROVEMENTS

Answer 4

• 2 million (out of 12 million) moved from South to North,
• More jobs, but still low pay and discrimination, poor housing, last hired, and first fired.
• By mid 1920s African American population of Chicago and New York doubled compared to 1900.
• “Harlem Renaissance” – growth in popularity of black culture; poetry, writing, art, JAZZ.