What do these various forms of activism tell us about Black women’s response to economic and political reforms?
By joining various activism groups such as the Communist Party (CP), Unemployed councils (UC), the League of Struggles for Negro Rights (LSNR), and International Labor Defense (ILD) so as to address issues that resulted from the various economic and political reforms, we learn that the Black American women, being tired of their suffering due to discrimination, were ready to fight for their rights and have amends made in the unfair political systems. The women resisted many of these reforms such as being laid off ‘because they were married or they had dependent children’ and being put on welfare and training programs such as “practice house”. Harris (2009) says “depression took its toll on virtually every facet of African American life.” In turn, during the 1930s many working-class black women looked to the CP and other militant groups for assistance in confronting the day-to-day problems of unemployment, unfair relief distribution, and persistent race-based discrimination’. The women had come to the realization that their situation would not improve if they did not come together and actively fight for their rights just as Tasker came to the realization that “social and racial inequality was “no individual fight. It’s a world-wide fight. . .. There’s nothing to lose [and] there’s everything to gain” (Wolcott, 2001). Previously, their mode of fight had been through emphasis on the respectability of the women. The new wave of the activists was, however, more radical and instead of being quiet, resolved to other means like protests because as stated by Grigsby in Grass Room Activism, “it’s not worth anything to be able to go in one of your finest places and sit down to eat if you don’t have the price of a meal.” No longer intimidated and chained to their traditional responsibilities of being “homemakers”, the reforms had the women daring to participate in protests on the streets with a “threat of violence” as well. Eventually, despite many challenges, their efforts were successful.
Works cited
Harris L. (2009). “Running with the Reds: African American Women and the Communist Party during the Great Depression.” The Journal of African American History, Vol. 94, No. 1, Pp 21-43.
Wolcott VW., (2001). “Remarking Respectability”. Grassroots Activism, Gender and American Culture