Early Womanism (1920s - 1960s)
When the 19th Amendment was first ratified in August of 1920, it pledged to give all American women the right to vote following, and essentially ending, their nearly century-long suffrage and feminist movements. However, despite its popularity and prominence among American women, many women of color soon realized that their fight for the right to vote were not over or recognized. The 19th Amendment failed to give equal rights to minority women as it did to White women. Various feminist movements were organized and undertaken by educated, professional and middle class White women who often ignored the struggles of minority women. African American women, for instance, were treated more "Black" than "women", so they were strategically and continously forbidden from participating in feminist movements and gaining the same rights as White women. The stories of different minority women and their struggles in history (such as the fight for voting rights, the fight for equal pay, the fight for reproductive rights, etc.) are usually not discussed as much, in comparison to the discussion and emphasis of the struggles of White women at the time.
Despite these barriers, womanism was still partly prevalent during this time. Civil rights organizations like The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), etc., actively advocated for women's rights and fought to participate in women's movements. Many Jewish, African American, Native American, Latina and Asian American women, from groups like Chicago Women's Liberation Union (CWLU), were involved in organizing rallies and protests to fight for their rights. Their vast efforts were overlooked by the efforts made by White women in history. Even though the literary definition of "womanism" was not known at this time, the principles of womanism were evident among colored feminists throughout this time period.
