The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-04-30
Modern Women
XxXVI.-THE COLORED WOM-
ANS PROGRESS.
Bv Frederic j. Haskin.
BY Frederic j. Haskin.

The history of ~womanhood in
America would be incomplete without
note being taken of the heroic struggle
of the colored women born in this
country who, from the time of their
liberation from slavery, have been eX-
erting every effort to overcome in their
race the effects of a bondage EXTEND
ing over unnumbered centuries. The
AfrO-American woman demonstrates
| more than do most others the tender,
maternal instinct of the primeval wom-
an who would labor and suffer and
bear strong sons whose vigor might
add to the greatness of the world.
Every southern-born man or woman
whose childish sleep was watched over
by the grooming tenderness of the Did
colored nanny will affirm the faith
ful constancy of the women of this
darker race.
The development of this great nation
necessitated the reedo of the one
time slave. Unequipped with the
training and education needed for the
new duties n responsibilities free
dom brought to them, the cOlored Wom-
en- from the beginning keenly felt the
responsibility of preparing her family
for the new life dawntng upon them.
No greater task ever came to the Wom-
en- of any nation. and the loyalty with
which they are fulfilling it must APP
peal to anyone who will consider for a
moment some of their achievements in
the face of great obstacles. The coll
Ored woman recognizes the value of
education far more han the colored
man n & is atiIannA1 nv tLn ,,,a
larger number of colored women thar
men now found in the higher schools.
1t was only the exceptional colored
woman, a generation or two & who
by the aid of ON kindly disposed
friends, was bile to secure an eduea-
ton which demonstrated her fitness
for something more than the mental
drudgery which had been considered
the lot Of the women of her race. Hav-
ing achieved an advantage for herself,
She did not selfishly enjoy 1t, but In
almost every instance, devoted her
added advantage to help others of her
race.
Like the white women, the rogre
sive colored Woma realized the value
of organization. When the great fed
Grafton Of Women's clubs was organ
lied, several of the hub composed OF
educated colored women We're credulous
enough to believe that the motto,
Unity in diversity was broad enough
to include the enlightened women of
their race who We're working toward
the general uplift of humanity. The
refusal of the general federation to adj
NIT Mrs. Ruffin as a delegate from the
New Era club of Boston answered this
assumption. Stung by this rebuff, the
colored women realized tina for the
present they must receive aid from or
CARNATIONS composed entirely of their
own race. ~
The National Association of Colored
Women in the United States now fills
a greater place in the development of
the colored women of the country than
does the General Federation for the
white women. It's bonds are closer and
more sympathetic because of the dis
~couragements it's members so fire.
quently receive. This organization
which has grown from a comparative
~ small body organized in Washing,
ton in 1896, now represents over 49,
600 colored women in it's membership
1t has state f~ederations in most of the
states and is strongest in the south
The association recognizes the fact
that whether cultured or not, the col
ored woman receives practically The
same treatment from the white public