Women in Americanization

Women and women’s organizations participated in the Americanization movement. The book Americanization: What Women’s Organizations Can Do by Anne Rhodes stated that:

Clubs and organizations of various kinds are alive with interest in Americanization and are working out definit3e programs in their committees. The work is particularly fitted for women’s organizations

1. The immigrant woman is a neglected factor in our civilization. Her degree of assimilation is unnoted; no provision is made for her instruction; the thought of citizenship is seldom associated with her, and she is given scant consideration in the development of our communities.
2. Women’s organizations can do much to educate public sentiment, to influence boards of education, health, housing, etc., and society at large to remedy community neglect.
3. Women’s organizations can encourage the holding of Americanization Day Celebrations, urge participation of immigrant women in national holidays, and secure a part of them in all celebrations.

The work needed is definite and practical. The rest of the book provides step-by-step guides on how education and library committees, civic and legislative committees, social and industrial, and home economics and public health committees can help the movement.

Women were key players in the Americanization movement as policymakers in public and private agencies and as teachers and administrators in states and local communities.