Introduction
The focus of this paper is Elizabeth Ross Haynes who was a social worker, an author, a sociologist and an American activist who worked towards the improvement of life conditions for the African American women. Born to Mary Cames Ross and Henry Ross, Elizabeth Ross Haynes grew up in the progressive era of the early 20th century when Black Women needs were largely ignored (Carlton-LaNey, 1997). She engaged in speaking and researching on women labour issues, political growth, women spiritual, writing, and as well as ensuring that women utilized their skills and talents in improving their quality of life. Due to the lack of sufficient resources for women, Ross opted for institutions in roder gain access to education and employment opportunities. Later, she formed movements such as the National league of republican colored women which spoke against racism and the negliction of women needs. In relevance to her misery as a black woman, Elizabeth Ross sought to improve the blacks’ welfare through establishing institutions for black women immigrants and for better living conditions and employment.
Analysis
Social Background
The needs of Native blacks especially women in the United States were constantly ignored even by the reformers. In this essence; few opportunities such as employment and training were available for them. This forced Ross together with the other women to opt for the few institution provided for them in order to gain a quality life and employment opportunities. The black leaders and other critics had designed feminists’ perspective which omitted the experiences and use of talents and ability by the women of color. Ross Haynes was in the forefront by engaging in activities which led to the development and availability of institutional resources especially for the young African American women who sought better employment opportunities, education and better living conditions. Her capacity as a sociologist gave her the opportunity to actively engage in culminating movements and positions which were directly involved in finding better opportunities for women. Throughout her life, she constantly engaged in promoting establishing new branches in YWCA which helped female migrants in finding jobs and training.
The society deemed women and denied them a chances and opportunity to improve the quality of their live. Their place was in the kitchen and taking care of children and hence lacked the chance to do blue collar jobs. In the early 20th century, many female reformers raised as a part of a growing trend of changing women backgrounds and society perceptions all women. In this regard, Ross joined the National Association Of Colored Women which commissioned the start of a nationwide prohibition of women humiliation and suppression and the eventual decline in men dominance (Storrs, 2003). In improving the quality of women’s life, Ross suffrage movement involved both social, political and economic progressive era reforms which were aimed at eradicating political corruption, improvement of women’s lives and living conditions and well as increasing government intervention in protecting women.
Elizabeth Ross introduced a campaign who which was focused in educating and providing services to local women. As opposed to the earlier female activism, Ross participated in political and public movements which were aimed at raising awareness for women education and supplement the traditional role of women. Through turning women from traditional social roles into political and public roles, the activism brought a different society perception of women in every society. She also believed that giving women a chance to learn and obtain skills will improve the living and working condition of many women.
Ross Haynes- a pragmatist advocated for the needs of the Negro women and argued that their needs superseded the integrated politics and that the role of women in the political life should involve a betterment of other women needs. The growing concentration of political power enacted by other women activists in the early progressive era lacked the desire of modifying harsh aspects of political values which surpassed the women needs by undermining the abilities of women in radicalizing the society. Ross argued for a more responsive measure from the government in order to incorporate the already changing lifestyles and consider the needs of women outside the political space. However, in a male dominated society, women were viewed as intellectually and politically inferior to men and hence their social problems not taken seriously.
In a social perspective, Ross successfully influenced the improvement of political reforms by maintaining the main goal of the progressive movements which was to eliminate social, political and economic problems mostly caused by immigration, corruption and urbanization. Her efforts to reform the black women quality of life was fruitful and led to the improvement of the living and working condition of the black women workers. Ross used her education and intellectual abilities to further and improve the cause of the black women workers. Ross was also among the leading black women to become a new deal democrat and was actively involved in Harlem politics. Her belief was in education and her favorable attitude towards women in an urban industrial society and the ability to improve the environment and life condition. Additionally, she sought the need and obligation of intervening in social and economic affairs and propagate a favorable environment for all black women.
Contributions to social work
Ross’s social work impacted black native women as she spoke against ignorance to women needs and racist tactics used to barn women from working and access to resources. As a progressivism, she referred to different responses to the social and economic evolutions which were attributed to the industrialization and rapid urbanization. As a result of this scenario, African Americans moved to cities in which they experienced various social needs but lacked the capability of meeting these needs. Ross believed that social problems such as class- warfare, poverty and racism d be addressed better through education, more conducive workplace, a safer environment as well as a supportive government (Schneider et al. 1993). During the progressive era, African-Americans were the most vulnerable people and hence Ross had the need to establish a prominent voice for raising public awareness and the rising and existing social inequalities and problems. In general, Ross played a major role in demanding for expansive reforms for social, political and economic change mostly pertaining the black population.
Ross served her social activism role through joining institution and political parties which argued against racism and oppression of Negron women. For instance, she founded the National league of republican colored women and joined the state temporary commission. Politicians largely controlled lives in major cities through different political entities created and supported by the government. As a result, Ross joined several political entities in order to change and protect the needs of the black community with a greater voice enhanced by the political machines. During this era, the plight of African Americans was constantly ignored and hence was faced with racism and segregation and disenfranchisement from the political life. as a result, african Americans were subjected to endless social ills and therefore to counteract the injustices faced by the black women, Ross emerged to fight, advocate for equal rights and opportunities for all people.
Elizabeth Ross contemporaries included other black era reformers, members of the National Association Of Colored Women as well as the state temporary commission. For many African Americans, progress was hard to achieve and successively integrate with the western cultures due to inequalities and being overlooked by the whites. Due to this, notable African American readers such as BookerTWashingtonW.E.BDuboisJimCrowIda B. wells were actively involved in correcting economic, political and social problems in America (Carlton-LaNey, 1999, p. 320). However, their work and contribution was greatly overlooked by white progressives and hence it did not gain the intended amount of influence at its initial stage. The racism aspects were a major topic from several proggrevism and led to establishment of racial segregation laws and equal rights for black women. Subsequently, this progrevism pushed for political reforms which included constitutional amendments to remove voting restrictions.
Her major contribution to social work was that, she developed institutional resources for young black women whose needs were previously ignored by other reformers. Mainstream economists and historians perceive the progressive era as the period where a rational ideologies and policies towards the black women improved. From a Progressive perspective, Ross provided the basis for implementation of institutional resources and policies which were directly targeted towards the Negron women. She also carried out goals which were meant to create a fair economic life for women and the implementation of reforms and the increase of minimum wages as well as the working hours. The Negron population was viewed as destructive to the American society and hence it was hard to push for implementation of policies and creating and making resources available to the black women.
Ross critics including the white progressives and black leaders accused her of supporting separate programs and institutions for Negro women in the segregated YWCA. As an American activist, a primary characteristic of open and direct criticism was a main feature. Mainly, the superior social class brought a universal revulsion against the arguments raised by Ross. The critics argued that the contemporary progresvissm was not intellectually compelling and not theoretically applicable depending on the trending circumstances of overcrowded cities due to immigration. The critics were against the need to create equal rights and provision of education to all black women in America. This was due to the fear of a female dominated society. the political arguments were against Ross perception of imperial ideologies in which black women were subjected to.
Summary
Elizabeth Ross grew up at the time when women needs were neglected and largely ignored and therefore, acted as a role model through writing, speaking and researching on Negron women issues to address their needs which had been neglected by reformers. As a victim of racism, she vowed to improve the women conditions through joining institution and forming movements which argued against social inequality. In this essence, movements such as the National League Of Republican Colored Women were formed to help barn racism. Ross ensured that women accessed employments and training opportunities. This in turn aided in improvement of their quality of life.
Though faced with multiple criticisms, Ross still arguments against racism and ignorance of women needs overshadowed them and ensured that the women needs were looked into despite the negative feminist perspective adopted in the American society to deny the black women participation in economic and political processes in American. Ross critics including the white progressives and black leaders accused her of supporting separate programs and institutions for Negro women in the segregated YWCA. As an American activist, a primary characteristic of open and direct criticism was a main feature. The needs of Native blacks especially women in the United States were constantly ignored even by the reformers. In this essence; few opportunities such as employment and training were available for them.
Her major contribution to social work was that, she developed institutional resources for young black women whose needs were previously ignored by other reformers. Additionally, Elizabeth Ross introduced a campaign who which was focused in educating and providing services to local women. Ross contemporaries included other black era reformers, members of the National Association Of Colored Women as well as the state temporary commission. Ross’s social work impacted black native women as she spoke against ignorance to women needs and racist tactics used to barn women from working and access to resources
In my context, Elizabeth Ross’s contribution was essential and instrumental in creating and advocating for better living condition for African American women. In this regards, Haynes involvement in developing institutional resources for young black women established a platform which enabled black women to gain progress in a society full of inequalities and male dominance. Subsequently, her contribution of in providing education opportunities and reforms provided support for advocating the idea of progress and general improvement of the society based on different perception of African American women. Definitely, Haynes demonstrated the belief that African American women were equal and able to overcome the existing and emerging social, political and economic problems if offered the necessary resources and equal opportunities. Lastly, in my context, I believe that Ross provided the necessary measures needed to address the problems experienced by the immigrants based on concept of progressivism.
References
Carlton-LaNey, I. (1997). Elizabeth Ross Haynes: An African American Reformer of Womanist Consciousness, 1908–1940. Social Work, 42(6), 573-583.
Carlton-LaNey, I. (1999). African American social work pioneers’ response to need. Social Work, 44(4), 311-321.
Schneider, D., Schneider, C. J., Staton, H., Meltzer, M., Woelfle, G., & Sinclair, U. (1993). American Women in the Progressive Era. Facts on File. New York: Facts on File..
Storrs, L. R. (2003). Civilizing Capitalism: The National Consumers’ League, Women’s Activism, and Labor Standards in the New Deal Era. Univ of North Carolina Press
