Jim Crow Capital: Women and Black Freedom Struggles in Washington, D. C. , 1920-1945

__Jim Crow Capital__ tells the story of how black women in Washington, D.C. transformed civil rights politics between 1920 and 1945. Even though no resident of the nation’s capital could cast a ballot, women nonetheless proclaimed their first-class citizenship rights by working to influence congressional legislation, lobby politicians, shape policy, and secure freedom and justice for all African Americans, both in Washington, D.C. and across the country. During the course of their political campaigns, African American women’s relationship to federal and local politics underwent a fundamental transformation. During the 1920s, black women seized on their location in the nation’s capital to intervene in federal matters, thereby working to improve conditions for disenfranchised African Americans who lacked a political voice on a national level. But by the early 1930s, black women turned their attention to focus more fully on local politics in Washington, D.C. by waging campaigns for economic justice, voting rights, and an end to racial segregation and interracial police brutality, making their freedom struggle an example for the nation. Black women in Washington, D.C. crafted a broad vision of citizenship by waging comprehensive and interconnected campaigns for legal equality, economic citizenship, public commemoration, and safety from violence. Women’s political activism in Washington, D.C. influenced the post-war black freedom struggle and still resonates today. "Local policy in the nation's capital has always influenced national politics. During Reconstruction, black Washingtonians were first to exercise their new franchise. But when congressmen abolished local governance in the 1870s, they set the precedent for southern disfranchisement. In the aftermath of this process, memories of voting and citizenship rights inspired a new generation of Washingtonians to restore local government in their city and lay the foundation for black equality across the nation. And women were at the forefront of this effort. Here Mary-Elizabeth B. Murphy tells the story of how African American women in D.C. transformed civil rights politics in their freedom struggles between 1920 and 1945. Even though no resident of the nation's capital could vote, black women seized on their conspicuous location to testify in Congress, lobby politicians, and stage protests to secure racial justice, both in Washington and across the nation. Women crafted a broad vision of citizenship rights that put economic justice, physical safety, and legal equality at the forefront of their political campaigns. Black women's civil rights tactics and victories in Washington, D.C., shaped the national postwar black freedom struggle in ways that still resonate today"--Publisher's description Local policy in the nation's capital has always influenced national politics. During Reconstruction, black Washingtonians were first to exercise their new franchise. But when congressmen abolished local governance in the 1870s, they set the precedent for southern disfranchisement. In the aftermath of this process, memories of voting and citizenship rights inspired a new generation of Washingtonians to restore local government in their city and lay the foundation for black equality across the nation. And women were at the forefront of this effort. Here Mary-Elizabeth B. Murphy tells the story of how African American women in D.C. transformed civil rights politics in their freedom struggles between 1920 and 1945. Even though no resident of the nation's capital could vote, black women seized on their conspicuous location to testify in Congress, lobby politicians, and stage protests to secure racial justice, both in Washington and across the nation. Women crafted a broad vision of citizenship rights that put economic justice, physical safety, and legal equality at the forefront of their political campaigns. Black women's civil rights tactics and victories in Washington, D.C., shaped the national postwar black freedom struggle in ways that still resonate today.-- Provided by publisher Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Introduction: Jim Crow Capital......Page 14 Part I. Postwar Promises, 1920–1929......Page 28 Chapter One. The Women Will Be Factors in the Present Campaign: Women’s National Politics in the 1920s......Page 30 Chapter Two. The Eyes of the World Are upon Us: The Politics of Lynching......Page 59 Part II. Political Crises, 1930–1940......Page 86 Chapter Three. Make Washington Safe for Negro Womanhood: The Politics of Police Brutality......Page 88 Chapter Four. Women Riot for Jobs: The Politics of Economic Justice......Page 123 Chapter Five. Washington Needs the Vote: Women’s Campaigns for Civil Rights in the 1930s......Page 153 Part III. The Leverage of War, 1941–1945......Page 184 Chapter Six. Jim Crow Must Go: Civil Rights Struggles during World War II......Page 186 Conclusion: Black Women and the Long Civil Rights Movement......Page 214 Acknowledgments......Page 222 Notes......Page 224 Bibliography......Page 256 B......Page 284 C......Page 285 E......Page 286 H......Page 287 M......Page 288 N......Page 289 P......Page 290 S......Page 291 W......Page 292 Y......Page 293 The Women Will Be Factors In The Present Campaign : Women's National Politics In The 1920s -- The Eyes Of The World Are Upon Us : The Politics Of Lynching -- Make Washington Safe For Negro Womanhood : The Politics Of Police Brutality -- Women Riot For Jobs : The Politics Of Economic Justice -- Washington Needs The Vote : Women's Campaigns For Civil Rights In The 1930s -- Jim Crow Must Go : Civil Rights Struggles During World War Ii. Mary-elizabeth B. Murphy. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This work tells the story of how African American women in Washington D.C. transformed civil rights politics in their freedom struggles between 1920 and 1945. Even though no resident of the nation's capital could vote, black women seized on their conspicuous location to testify in Congress, lobby politicians, and stage protests to secure racial justice, both in Washington and across America