African American Women Of The North And South During The War

African American women in the North did not have the same opportunities available to them as white women. They often found it difficult to find employment. Many made money by sewing and exchanging crops for cash. Others found work as teachers despite receiving low pay. Some found teaching positions through the American Missionary Association (AMA), which hoped to bring education to the free African Americans living in the North and South during the war. Many African American women were eager to take on this new position. Charlotte F. Forten who would become an important teacher believed the key to equality was through education as described in her journal, â€Å"I should spare no effort to become what he desires that I should be (speaking of†¦show more content†¦This was a significant because it marked the beginning of salaries for African American teachers and more African American women would continue to enter the field. â€Å"Black women lived in greater oppression than White women, thus making it more difficult for black women to secure sponsorship to participate in the education of the freedpeople†¦the accomplishments and self-determination of Peake and Forten during this time became more significant and compelling.† Another African American women living in the North found employment working for the government. Catharine Dodson became a government employee working for the U.S senate. She worked as a doorkeeper making a $1 a day. Despite facing difficulties finding employment many African American women were determined to find work and did whatever they could to earn money to support themselves and their families. The war brought new changes to the South and women often found themselves in new forms of employments. â€Å"Southern women assumed new roles during the Civil War, ranging from nursing to managing plantations.† The majority of employments that were commonly seen for women in the South during the Civil War included teaching, government jobs, nurses, and plantation workers. The majority of women in the Southern states found themselves taking care of and managing plantations. Females took care of crops and all rural work while men were away. Letters of females living in Indiana reveal information about their everyday