The Women’s Movement & Black Awakening

1. The Women’s Movement & Black Awakening

2. African-American Reforms By 1900, 80% of African-Americans lived in rural areas, most as Southern sharecroppers • Southern progressivism was for whites only; Keeping blacks from voting was seen as necessary: • Allowed for poll taxes, literacy tests, property qualifications (& grandfather clauses for whites) • Strengthened Jim Crow laws requiring separate theaters, restaurants, hotels, & schools • But did regulate RRs & industry

3. African-American Reforms • Black leaders were divided on how to address racial problems • Booker T Washington was Harvard educated, studied black urban culture, & was 1st president of Tuskegee University • His “Atlanta Compromise” stressed black self-improvement (not lawsuits or agitation against whites)

4. African-American Reforms “[African-Americans] have a right to know, to think, to aspire… We must strive for the right which the world accords to man.” —W.E.B. DuBois • W.E.B. DuBois was more aggressive • Dubois led the Niagara Movement in 1905 calling for immediate civil rights, integrated schools, & promotion of the “Talented 10th” to be the next generation of black civil rights leaders

5. The Niagara Movement & NAACP • In 1909, National Assoc for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed by William Walling & others; Du Bios was put in charge of The Crisis publication • The NAACP had some victories: • Guinn v U.S. (1915) ended Oklahoma’s grandfather clause • Buchanan v Worley (1917) ended KY housing segregation But…“I have never seen the colored people so discouraged and so bitter as they are at the present time.” —Booker T. Washington, 1913

6. Conclusions • Social progressivism led to successful reforms in American cities by attacking corruption & advocating for the less fortunate • Urban reformers drew national attention to: • The plight of women & blacks (with mixed results) • The need for reform at the state & national levels

7. Conclusions • Social progressivism led to successful reforms in American cities by attacking corruption & advocating for the less fortunate • Urban reformers drew national attention to: • The plight of women & blacks (with mixed results) • The need for reform at the state & national levels

8. The Women’s Movement • Successful progressive reforms led by women strengthened calls for women’s rights & suffrage: • The National Association of Colored Women advocated for the rights of black women • The National American Woman Suffrage Association was key in getting the 19th Amendment passed in 1920 “Women’s vote will help cure ills of society”

9. Women’s Suffrage Before 1900

10. The Women’s Movement • Margaret Sanger championed the cause for increased birth control for women: • Her journals provided contraceptive information for poor & middle-class women • In 1916, Sanger opened the 1st birth control clinic in the U.S.

11. Conflict in the Workplace • The new industrial advances like mass production & management sped up production but led to: • Long hours, low wages, dangerous settings for workers • Labor unrest & strikes • Union membership jumped from 4% in 1900 to 13% by 1920 • Progressive reforms for workers

12. Labor Union Membership, 1897-1920

13. Organizing Labor “It is our purpose to overthrow the capitalist system by forceful means in necessary… [There is nothing a worker can do that] will bring as much anguish to the boss than a little sabotage in the right place.” —IWW co-founder “Big Bill” Haywood The WTUL strike against Hart, Schaffer, & Marx Co led to the 1st collective bargaining victory in U.S. labor history • Gompers’ American Federation of Labor was the largest U.S. union but it was exclusive; led to: • Women’s Trade Union League (1903) formed to help working women & educate the public • Industrial Workers of the World (1905) urged revolution & the creation of a workers’ republic via sabotage & strikes Open to all workers regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, or skill Called the “Wobblies”

14. Organizing Labor Did not threaten to overthrow the capitalist system • Eugene V. Debs formed the Socialist Party of America & applied Marxist ideas into a moderate & appealing political platform

15. The Republican Roosevelt The president is “a steward of the people bound actively & affirmatively to do all he can for the people” TR thought of presidency as a bully pulpit to advocate his agenda • TheMcKinleyassassination(1901) made Teddy Roosevelt president: • TR was an activist president who knewhow to guide public opinion • Unlike most Gilded Age Republicans, Roosevelt refused to ignore social inequalities • He believed gov’t agencies should be run by experts Elihu Root to Sec of State (district attorney of NYC) Gifford Pinchot as chief conservationist W.H. Taft to Sec of War (governor of Philippines)

16. The Square Deal • In 1902, the United Mine Workers went on strike to demand higher pay & an eight-hour work day • The strike lasted 11 months • TR brought both sides to arbitration & threatened gov’t seizure of the coal mine • The result was a “square deal” for labor (higher wages) & owners (noformalrecognitionoftheunion)

17. TR the Trustbuster? • TR saw the benefit of good trusts, but wanted to control bad trusts: • He pushed for the Dept of Commerce & Labor to investigate business misconduct • In 1902, TR ordered the Justice Dept to charge the Northern Securities Co in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act; The Supreme Court ordered the company to be broken up

18. TR accepted monopolies as a fact of life for 20th century business but viewed regulation as the best way to tame trusts who use corrupt business practices

19. TR the Trustbuster? • TR was not always consistent: • Initiated suits against beef trust, American Tobacco, DuPont, Standard Oil, & New Haven RR • But he relied on business to gain re-election in 1904; sought the advice of JP Morgan; allowed some monopolistic mergers • The Roosevelt administration only “busted” 25 trusts in 7 years Taft busted 43 monopolies in 4 years

20. Muckraking Journalism • Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle (1906)led to federal investigation of the meatpacking industry, gov’t inspections, & improved sanitation • Sam H. Adams exposed the dangersofpatentmedicineswhich led to the Pure Food & Drug Act requiring listing of ingredients & banned “adulterated” drugs “I aimed at the public’s heart & by accident I hit it in the stomach”

21. TR was a popular president & won a landslide victory in 1904 “Under no circumstances will I be a candidate for or accept another nomination”

22. Regulating the Railroads • TR’s re-election agenda focused on business regulation: • Hepburn Act (1906) increased the ICC’s power to set maximum RR rates & investigate RR company financial records • The Food & Drug Act (1906) & Meat Inspection Act (1906) protected consumers

23. Conserving the Land • TR created the 1st comprehensive national conservation policy: • TR defined “conservation” as wise use of natural resources • CreatedtheReclamationService to place natural resources (oil, trees,coal)underfederaldomain • From 1901 to 1908, U.S. gov’t preserves grew from 45 million acres to 195 million acres

24. National Parks and Forests

25. The Presidency of William Howard Taft

26. The Taft Presidency • TR remained true to his promise not to run for a 3rd term & chose William Howard Taft as the Republican nominee for president • Taft seemed ready to carry out TR’s political agenda “I feel a bit like a fish out of water…I hate the limelight.”

27. The Taft Presidency Taft backed the high Payne-Aldrich tariff • Taft was poorly equipped to continue Roosevelt’s agenda: • Taft did not trust the gov’t to regulate business behavior • He didn’t have the flair of TR; Taft was “too honest & sincere” • Taft tended to side with conservative Republicans rather than progressive Republicans Taft fired Pinchot, TR’s chief conservationist after the Ballinger-Pinchot Affair Progressive Republicans no longer looked to Taft for leadership & criticized almost all his policies

28. The Taft Presidency • Despite these set backs, Taft helped push through significant progressive legislation: • 16th Amendment was written; created a national income tax • 17th Amendment was written; direct election of U.S. Senators • Safety codes for miners & RRs • Created the Children’s Bureau

29. The Election of 1912 “I’m feeling like a Bull Moose!” • TR decided to run against Taft for the Republican nomination in 1912 but conservative Republicans refused to take him over Taft • TR was nominated to the new Progressive (Bull Moose) Party • Democrats nominated former Princeton president & NJ governor Woodrow Wilson who ran as a progressive reformer This deeply divided the Republican Party

30. TR’s New Nationalism U.S. needs a nat’l approach to reform & a strong president Social-Justice reforms; protection of women, children, workers; “good” trusts to help growth 1st to enlist women WW’s New Freedom U.S. needs small gov’t, free trade & competition Both plans saw the economy as the central issue, but Wilson distrusted federal power & nat’l planning The Election of 1912 The 1912 election was the most significant 3-way election since 1860: Lincoln (Republican), Stephen Douglas (Northern Democrat), & John Breckenridge (Southern Democrat) Democrats not only won the presidency, but also outright control of both House & Senate

31. Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom

32. Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom • Wilson believed in strong, activist leadership & helped push through many “New Freedom” ideas: • Underwood Tariff Act reduced tariffs & created America’s 1st graduated income tax • Federal Reserve Act created a Federal Reserve to regulate the economy by adjusting the money supply & interest rates 1% tax for all, but 2% for the rich The 1st efficient national banking system since Jackson destroyed the BUS in 1832

33. Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom Federal Farm Loan Act • Clayton Anti-Trust Act banned interlocking directorates & held business officers personally liable for monopolies; helped workers by allowing strikes & banning injunctions • As the 1916 elections neared, Wilson pushed for more social reforms…but U.S. involvement in WWIin1917distractedAmericans from progressive reform Endorsed an 8-hour day for all workers Defended unions’ right to collectively bargain Supported women’s suffrage

34. Conclusions:The Fruits of Progressivism

35. The Fruits of Progressivism • Progressive reforms led to: • Urban & labor improvements • Direct primaries & female voting • More gov’t responsibility for social welfare • Regulatory commissions • Increased importance of interest groups & public opinion polls • An “expert” bureaucracy • A more powerful presidency • WWI ended the Progressive Era