Final Exam Readings #4: Women's Rights Movement and Civil Rights Movement

Women’s Rights Movement

• “Declaration of Rights and Sentiments”

  • Elizabeth Cady Staunton, 1848

  • Modeled after the Declaration of Independence

  • “All men and women are created equal”

  • Contained a list of grievances that resembled that sent to King George, and explained the rights that women were denied, including the right to vote, the ability to attain higher education and professions, the fact that children belonged to the husband, and the moral double standards that made women punished or ridiculed more for doing the same things a man does

  • There was a prominent call for women’s suffrage

  • Asked for equal opportunities for women, specifically in regards to education, employment, and legal reforms

  • These rights are ethically and morally necessary

• “NOW Statement of Purpose 1966”

  • Betty Friedan and Pauli Murray, 1966

  • The purpose of the group is to advocate for equal rights for women and challenge sex-based discrimination

  • They wanted to eliminate the existing gender role norms

  • They wanted to eliminate workplace discrimination and gender-based job barriers, while giving women equal pay and access to promotions

  • Pushed for laws to codify equal rights for women

  • Advocated for women’s control over reproductive rights

  • The emphasized partnership with men, not working against them but working with them to accomplish their goals

• “NOW Statement of Purpose 1998”

  • Emphasizes the problems that still exist in gender inequality, including economic injustice, political representation, and legal protection

  • Acknowledges that issues of race, class, sexual orientation, and disability are all interconnected with the women’s rights movement

  • It is important to give women reproductive rights and freedom

  • It is a priority to combat violence of any kind against women

  • The organization wants to address workplace discrimination women face consistently

  • NOW has a global perspective, noting that women everywhere are facing these problems, not just in America

Civil Rights Movement

• “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

  • Martin Luther King Jr., April 16, 1963

  • Response to criticism from white clergy

  • Nonviolent civil disobedience creates necessary tension that forces people to deal with the issues at hand, rather than waiting for legal change

  • Criticized white moderates, saying that even though they weren’t overtly racist they are still helping the problem perpetuate by doing nothing about it

  • This is an issue everywhere, not just in Birmingham

  • Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere

  • People have a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws

  • Criticizes churches who don’t support the movement even though they claim to stand for justice and morality

  • King has hope that humanity will achieve equality and justice, even though it may take time