Women in Depression Flashcards
Who was Eleanor Roosevelt and who did she appoint Secretary for Labor?
Eleonor Roosevelt, First Lady, alongside first chair of the United Nation Commission for Human Rights, appointed Frances Perkins as Secretary for Labor.
What limited the gains for women during the New Deal?
Men ran federal agencies; political rights didn’t give social justice in legislation as mothers were discriminated against and inequality in pensions due to assumptions of women at home; African American women faced discrimination; no attempt to secure equal pay. New Deal was about increasing purchase power so male breadwinners prioritised.
What was the National Women’s Party?
National Women’s Party – Formed by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns in 1916 with suffragette style demonstrations and protests outside White House + hunger strikes, failed to get ERA in 1920s.
What pressure groups did ER support and what did she do at the Alabama conference?
Eleanor Roosevelt was involved with the League of Women Voters and the Women’s Trade Union League. During the Depression she became active in organisations to relieve impoverished workers, and in 1938 sat between blacks and whites at a conference in Alabama.
What did the New Deal try to do to aid the minimum wage?
Government set National Recovery Administration in 1933 and Fair Standards Act of 1938 to help women with pay below new minimum but only confirmed pay differentials. By 1939 a female teacher earned 20% less than men.
What was the Social Security Act and its limits?
In 1935 the Social Security Act was passed with Aid to Dependent Children providing help to mothers with young families, African American women discriminated against, disdain from administrators to ‘idle’ mothers in poverty.
How were minority ethnic groups treated by the white citizens?
- Mexicans and African Americans struggled to obtain employment – competition from white counterparts.
- Agricultural policies sent African American and Mexican farmers to cities – racial tensions with lynchings and segregation.
What pressure groups and organisations were established to protect minority ethnic groups?
Association of Southern Women for the Prevention of Lynching formed, receiving ER’s support. Legislation against lynching failed 1935, 1938.
Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Mississippi Health Project provided healthcare from 1935-42 for poor black communities. Housewives League of Detroit, 1930, bought goods from black business.
Who were Grace Abbott, Nellie Taylor Ross, and Molly Dawson?
- Grace Abbott – Set up Children’s Bureau for homeless kids.
- Nellie Taylor Ross – First woman Director of the Mint.
- Molly Dawson – Leader of Democratic Party’s women’s section and encouraged African American women to use vote, in 1936 elections 15,000 women distributed flyers for the New Deal promotion.
How were Native women impacted?
Native Americans – Indian Reorganisation Act gave Native women political rights and training for domestic work and as seamstresses, promoting native art and crafts. Gladys Tantaquidgeon worked for Indian Bureau promoting traditional art.
