Women'sContributions

Blackwomensacrificedaswell.Theycontributedtothewareffortinsignificantways
andformedthebackboneofAfricanAmericanpatrioticactivities.Clubwomen,many
undertheauspicesoftheNationalAssociationofColoredWomen(NACW),led"liberty
loan"campaigns,heldrallies,andprovidedcrucialmaterialandemotionalsupportfor
blacktroops.WomenjoinedwarserviceorganizationssuchastheYWCAandtheRed
Crossaswellasestablishingtheirowngroups,liketheWomen'sAuxiliaryoftheNew
York15thNationalGuard,tomeetthespecificneedsofblacksoldiers.
Thewaralsospurredanincreaseinpoliticalactivismamongstblackwomen.Forthe
growingnumberofwomenwhoworkedoutsidethehome,thewarcreatednew
opportunitiesforthemtoorganizecollectivelyandadvocateforgreaterpayand
equitableworkingconditions.LaundressesintheSouthformedassociationsand
engagedinstrikestoprotestunfairtreatmentatthehandsoftheirwhiteemployers.In
Mobile,Alabama,forexample,some250laundryworkerswalkedoffthejob,insisting,
"Weareprotestingagainstthisdiscourteoustreatmentandweintendtostayoutuntil
ourcommunicationsareansweredandtheyagreetodealwithourcommittee."Women
andorganizationsliketheNACWcontinuedtoprotestagainstlynchingand,withthe
suffragemovementreachingitsapex,insistedupontherightofblackwomentovote.
PoliticalLeaders
Thewarandthepressuresofpatriotismtestedtheeffectivenessofblackpolitical
leaders.AnumberofprominentAfricanAmericansworkedcloselywiththegovernment
bothtorallyblacksupportforthewarandtoaddressissuessuchaslynching,
segregation,anddiscriminationagainstsoldiersthatexacerbatedblackdissent.Emmett
Scott,theformersecretarytoBookerT.WashingtonattheTuskegeeInstitute,served
asaspecialassistanttotheSecretaryofWarinchargeofmattersrelatedtoAfrican
Americansandthewar.Hiseffortsyieldedlimitedresults.Hedid,however,organizea
majorconferenceofblacknewspapereditorsandpoliticalleadersinWashington,D.C.,
inJune1918,whichproducedastatementbytheattendeesprofessingtheirloyaltyto
thegovernment.Thefollowingmonth,W.E.B.DuBoiswrotetheeditorial"Close
Ranks,"inwhichhestated,"Letus,whilethiswarlasts,forgetourspecialgrievances
andcloseourranksshouldertoshoulderwithourownwhitefellowcitizensandthe
alliednationsthatarefightingfordemocracy."
DuBois'swordsgeneratedconsiderablecontroversywithintheNAACPandinthepages
ofblacknewspapersacrossthecountry,dueinparttothefacthewassimultaneously
advocatingforanarmycaptaincyinmilitaryintelligence.Thecontroversyreflectedthe

tensionbetweenpatriotismandraceloyaltymanyAfricanAmericansgrappledwith
throughoutthewarandleaderssuchasDuBoisstruggledtonavigateeffectively.