the worker, women, and african americans during wwi
TRANSCRIPT
The Worker, Women, and African Americans during
WWI
The Worker
• Men are overseas fighting so more workers are needed
• Immigration has slow so less workers available
• Workers now can bargain for higher pay and better work conditions
• However, work longer hours and an increase in taxes and prices because of the war does not mean they are doing better financially!
Result:
• Increase union membership and number of strikes
• National War Labor Board: government agency that regulated issues between workers and management to prevent strikes
***now workers have an advantage
Women
• More work in factories because men overseas
• Take over jobs normally done by men-built ships, worked on railroads, etc
• Pay increases• Able to save to some
extent (don’t buy because hard to get items and high prices)
Women’s Fashion
• We need material for uniforms so sleeves of dresses shorten, skirts shorten
• Need leather for boots so women’s boots are lowered
• Wear less layers of clothes• No more corsets! French invent the
bra!
Women in the Military
• Hello Girls-Army radio/switchboard operators
• Over 20,000 nurses served
• Also worked as typists, telegraphers, etc
• At first did not have uniforms-wore armbands with symbol for their job
Women Volunteers
• Salvation Army Donut Dollies- served donuts to the troops to boost morale
-originally no hole and they used can cut outs and percolator of coffee pots
-more like crullers• Red Cross- nurses aides, etc
Donut Dollies
Doughboy!
• American Army men were nicknamed doughboys! Why?
• The possibilities:-The Donuts!-The shape of the button on
their uniforms-The French gave it to them
for their love of French bread
-The way their sleeping bag looked on their back
We have no sure idea!
African Americans in the Military
• Troops were segregated• Even segregated blood• Most were given jobs as
cooks etc and could not fight in combat
• Harlem Hell Fighters- 369th Infantry fought alongside French
-were awarded the Croix de Guerre
African Americans on the Homefront
• Some start moving north for work• Slight increase in pay and job
availability but still discrimination
After the War
• Women are asked to return home and children to give jobs to returning men (most were willing to)
• 19th Amendment- women can vote 1920• ***glimpse of independence • African Americans return from war only
to face discrimination and segregation