The present discussion will comment on the words by Sylvia Woods regarding racism and sexism in the 1930s. This historical personality played an essential role in combating these issues since she was a pioneer in promoting justice in American society. Her words from the book by Zinn and Arnove (2009) demonstrate that racism and sexism were acute at that time in the United States and that they created essential barriers for individuals. The following paragraph will comment on this thought in detail.
The words by Sylvia Woods reveal that the time was challenging for women and African Americans. It is so because representatives of this racial minority, for example, were not allowed to stay and play in a park that was designed for whites. Simultaneously, the primary source under analysis reveals that some people started opposing racial exclusion at that time, and Sylvia was among them. It referred to the situation when she had an argument with the school principal regarding the fact that the USA lacked freedom (Zinn & Arnove, 2009). Furthermore, that period implied fundamental economic challenges for people who were forced to work hard to earn their living. That is why Sylvia joined a union to help black individuals withstand those conditions. That union was successful because it gathered many female workers and organized recreations for them.
It is possible to mention that the text by Sylvia Woods is a valuable source to understand the cultural expression of the 1930s. On the one hand, African Americans suffered from racism and economic oppression. On the other hand, this state of affairs resulted in the fact that some individuals joined their efforts to combat the existing state of affairs. Thus, one can suggest that a basis for further anti-racism movement appeared in the 1930s.
Reference
Zinn, H., & Arnove, A. (2009). Voice of a people’s history of the United States (2nd ed.). Seven Stories Press.