Change within a society is necessary when injustice of another group of people, or a person is concerned. However, change can only take place if individuals truly understand the importance of making a difference for a group of people or a single person collectively. This includes fighting for those who are different racially, religiously, and socioeconomically. The reform movements of the late 18th century and 19th century did just that. However, although certain reformers were concerned with the plight of black slaves racial inequalities within the movements still persisted, even when fighting to makes changes for society as a whole.
There were many different reform movements that helped influence and shape society. These groups were generally made of people from different facets of life, but they generally fought for rights that would help better their position within society. There were some who wanted to make certain changes that they thought were proper for religious people to follow. There were groups of people who thought that living in their own utopian community and following their own standards of living was a great way to initiate change. There were workers reform movements, as well as women's rights movements. And, it was possible, as shown in Foner, that reform groups could fight for multiple movements at the same time. Abolishing of slavery was important to women as well as some men. It is important to note that "nearly all of the groups worked to convert public opinion to their cause" (Foner, 410).
Although many of the utopian communities that were established wanted to make change in society, they only thought doing so would work within in their small societies. For instance, those that were inspired by religious conviction weren't really concerned about proving how their community would affect the larger society. They were more concerned with creating a more homogenous society with whites. In the community known as the Shakers, they believed that God had dual personalities and women and men were spiritually equal (Foner, 413). The group was founded by Mother Ann Lee a "religious exhorter and claimed that Christ had directed her to emigrate with her followers to America" (413). They were able to establish a society that deviated from the traditional family life, both men and women lived in separate cabins and they were celibate. Even though this society was able to live the lives they wanted within their community, and trade with the outside world to maintain sustenance, they did not intend to incorporate racial equality.
Another community that was established with the same make up as the Shakers was Oneida. It was founded by Minister John Humphrey Noyes in 1848. They rejected individual accumulation of private property and the traditional family. Noyes was greatly influenced by a religious revival. He preached that he and his followers were perfect and achieved a state of complete sinlessness (414). Another factor that made this community different from the Shakers was complex marriage. That was the idea that a man could approach any woman and propose sexual relations and she could deny or accept it; it would then be registered in a record book (414). It was also a dictatorial society. People could only become a part of the society if they proved they understood the teachings of Noyes. Even though the society was extreme in that it wanted to deviate from the traditional ways of society it did not focus on the development of good racial relationships either.
Though both of the above communities had an ideal to deviate from main stream society and make a home that would be a utopia for them, neither focused on the advancement of blacks. Even though both of the groups believed that all of their members were equal spiritually it seems they didn't intend to have an effect on the larger society as a whole. There were also utopian communities that weren't centered on religion, and many believed that women should be treated as equals with their husbands they weren't concerned with race relations either (Foner). I think the main reason for these establishments were for the founders of the community's personal beliefs. They were upset about the way mainstream society had been mistreating and neglecting them, but the idea of race wasn't central to their beliefs.
However, there was a group of reformers that were able to fight for their issues and also fight for another group separate from them. The women's reform movement or feminism was especially important during this period. These were generally middle class women and working women who wanted to be given the same rights as men. As argued by Sarah Grimke, a women's right activist and abolitionist, "…They will be enabled to see the simple truth, that God has made no distinction between men and women as moral beings…To me it is perfectly clear that whatsoever it is morally right for a man to do, it is morally right for a woman to do" (Flexner, 48). The women that worked in the factories grew tired of the mistreatment they received at work as well. A factory called Lowell had a Female Labor Reform Association, in one of their plights for justice a "factory tract" was issued and spoke of women as "nothing more nor less than slaves in every sense of the word! Slaves to a system of labor which requires them to toil from five until seven o'clock…" (Zinn, 89).
The women recognized that in fighting for their rights they too had an obligation to help those unfairly in bondage. One female sympathizer, as quoted by Sarah Grimke said "I was sitting in my chamber, weeping over the miseries of the slave, and putting up my prayers for his deliverance from bondage, when in the midst of my meditations it occurred to me that my tears, unaided by effort, could never melt the chain of the slave. I must be up and doing" (Flexner, 48). The feminist, as they were called realized that the freedom they longed for in society was the same that black men, women, and children yearned for in slavery. The women's form of slavery was coined "slavery of sex" which empowered the women's movement to develop an all-encompassing critique of male authority and their own subordination" (Foner, 438). Feminist abolitionist was very integral pieces in advocating for the abolition of slavery. These women travelled throughout the 24 States of America, as well as internationally. It was recognized that support from people from different parts of the globe where also key to helping with both female rights and the freedom rights of black slaves. The feminist movement, although at the time didn't receive the equal rights they were fighting for, were able to influence public life and "posed a challenge to some of society's central beliefs—that the capacity for independence and rationality were male traits, that the world was properly divided into public and private realms, and that issues of justice and freedom did not apply to relations within the family" (435). And, they also were strongly concerned with race relations within America as a whole.
Along with the feminist abolitionist were the men of the North that also fought for the cause. In strong opposition to the "Colonization" of blacks these men felt it was their duty to expel the greatest evil from America's soil without displacing an entire population. Colonization was the idea for "gradual abolition of slavery and the settlement of black Americans in Africa" (421). This form of abolition believed that slavery was a sin and it contradicted the Declaration of Independence. However, even though the men were fighting for a just cause, it was still plagued with sexism and racism. A male abolitionist, Samuel Gridely Howe did not support his wife's activism within the female suffrage movement "because he felt it caused her to neglect her domestic relations" (439). As, we can see even with the white men fighting for the abolition of slavery, they were still guilty of racism towards blacks and discriminating against women.
Although there were many other reform movements, I believe that these were the most influential of the time. However, as with all of the movements they were started by people who were marginalized within society and desired to have more freedom and recognition of their rights to be treated as equals. But, that did not hold true for all races. Though the female abolitionist and male abolitionist worked at trying to gain freedom for black slaves, race relations were still terrible. Most of the reform group's policies are still noticeable within society today and some are even laws. And, for the most part I believe it is safe to conclude that many of the reform groups intended to make substantial changes within society so that it would be better for all white people. But, were blacks are concerned only two groups, feminist abolitionist and white male abolitionist, wanted to free them from slavery.
Eleanor Flexner, Century of Struggle: The Woman's Rights Movement in the United States, (New York, 1970), p. 48.
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History. 2nd Ed. New York: Norton &
Company. 2009. Print.
Zinn, Howard. A People's History Of The United States.Volume1:American Beginnings To
Reconstruction. Vol. 1. New York: The New Press. 2003. Print
