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Difficulty: MediumBlack Women's Activism and the Club Movement

Read the following excerpt from Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin's address to the National Conference of Colored Women in 1895:

"We need to talk over not only those things which are of vital importance to us as women, but also the things that are of especial interest to us as colored women, the elements of a whole race whose opportunities have been limited, but whose responsibilities are unlimited and take in the whole range of human interests."

Based on the excerpt, which of the following best describes the primary goal of the Black women's club movement as articulated by Ruffin?

  1. A
    To focus exclusively on universal female suffrage in partnership with mainstream white feminist organizations.
  2. B
    To organize emigration programs to West Africa to escape the rise of Southern Jim Crow segregation.
  3. To address the unique intersecting issues of race and gender to promote the broader advancement of the Black community.Answer
  4. D
    To operate strictly as auxiliary spiritual societies within the established Black church network.

Answer

To address the unique intersecting issues of race and gender to promote the broader advancement of the Black community.
The correct answer is correct because Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin clearly emphasizes the need for Black women to address issues that affect them both as women and as Black individuals, aiming for the uplift of their entire community ('the elements of a whole race'). This reflects the intersectional approach of the Black women's club movement, which addressed both racial discrimination and gender inequality.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Ruffin's reference to addressing both the vital importance to us as women and the especial interest to us as colored women.
This reveals a focus on the intersection of gender and race.
Understanding the dual focus helps define the core mission of the movement.
2
Evaluate which option aligns with addressing both gender and race concerns for the benefit of the community.
The statement emphasizing the unique intersecting issues of race and gender matches Ruffin's vision.
To determine the correct historical perspective of the organization's philosophy.

Key Concept

Black Women's Activism and the Club Movement
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Topics

Black Women's Activism and the Club Movement

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