Status seekers: long-established women’s organizations and the women’s movement in the United States, 1945-1970s
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The Ohio State University / OhioLINK
2006
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1135871482 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-osu11358714822021-08-03T05:50:32Z Status seekers: long-established women’s organizations and the women’s movement in the United States, 1945-1970s Neumann, Caryn E. Feminism Civil Rights Alpha Kappa Alpha American Association of University Women Church Women United American Nurses Association Nursing History This dissertation is an examination of four long-established American women’s organizations that were active in the decades immediately following World War II. It is part of growing body of work that places the roots of second wave feminism in the decades prior to the 1960s. The focus of this dissertation is the non-college student, non-radical women who addressed the main social movements of the postwar era by promoting civil rights and feminism. These organized women were targeted by conservative critics who employed the anti-communist hysteria of the Cold War in a largely unsuccessful attempt to stifle liberal activism. Each organization focused on a agenda that gradually expanded to include civil rights and feminism. They are feminist precursors. Each group in this study formed prior to World War II to address one of the major aspects of American life: work, education, family, and religion. The American Nurses Association (ANA) saw itself as chiefly a labor organization. Because the vast majority of nurses were of women, the ANA discovered that it could not promote better nursing and improved working conditions without elevating the status of women workers and without addressing the issue of racism within health care. The American Association of University Women aimed to provide a place for educated women in public life. It discovered that it could not provide such a place while discriminating on the basis of race, but its support for social justice threatened the status of the organization during the Cold War. The sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha aimed to elevate the black race and believed that women were the key to doing so. It pushed for advancement for women as part of a wider strategy to advance African Americans. Church Women United formed to promote Christian values. It fought against racial and gender discrimination within the churches and society at large because such behavior did not fit ideals of Christian conduct. The history of major nationwide women’s organizations in the postwar era provides important insight into a transitional period for American feminism. These groups did not disband because feminism fell out of favor after women won the vote. While they were challenged by a conservative political climate, these large organizations remained vibrant and prepared the ground for liberal activism to flourish in the 1960s. 2006-01-06 English text The Ohio State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1135871482 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1135871482 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Feminism Civil Rights Alpha Kappa Alpha American Association of University Women Church Women United American Nurses Association Nursing History |
| spellingShingle |
Feminism Civil Rights Alpha Kappa Alpha American Association of University Women Church Women United American Nurses Association Nursing History Neumann, Caryn E. Status seekers: long-established women’s organizations and the women’s movement in the United States, 1945-1970s |
| author |
Neumann, Caryn E. |
| author_facet |
Neumann, Caryn E. |
| author_sort |
Neumann, Caryn E. |
| title |
Status seekers: long-established women’s organizations and the women’s movement in the United States, 1945-1970s |
| title_short |
Status seekers: long-established women’s organizations and the women’s movement in the United States, 1945-1970s |
| title_full |
Status seekers: long-established women’s organizations and the women’s movement in the United States, 1945-1970s |
| title_fullStr |
Status seekers: long-established women’s organizations and the women’s movement in the United States, 1945-1970s |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Status seekers: long-established women’s organizations and the women’s movement in the United States, 1945-1970s |
| title_sort |
status seekers: long-established women’s organizations and the women’s movement in the united states, 1945-1970s |
| publisher |
The Ohio State University / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2006 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1135871482 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT neumanncaryne statusseekerslongestablishedwomensorganizationsandthewomensmovementintheunitedstates19451970s |
| _version_ |
1719426432596180992 |