Historical Analysis and Arguments

The first wave of feminism has been studied intensely, in particular in relation to how the movement looked in the US, France, and the UK. In the United States, much of the emphasis has been placed on leading figures such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, however less attention has been on the people of color who worked to advance the movement as well. In particular, many early historians very much centered the movement around this notion of, what is today known as, white feminism. Today, as the voices heard and promoted have been broadened and much more diverse, there are many more historians of color who maintain feminist and Black feminist approaches to history and have worked to rectify the lack of information nad focus that there has been on people of color and, in particular, women of color and their actions taken during the movement. In today’s time, the discourse surrounding first wave feminism not only acknowledges the positives of the movement, but also holds the key figures and events accountable for the lack of inclusion of women of color in the spheres and works to rectify this by promoting the information that demonstrates how Black and indigenous people, in particular, were integral in advancing the fight.