Women At Work: 
Work History of Women in America

Church and Charities

Women in the past often gained recognition through their involvement with the church. It was the link from the domestic world to the public world and was an arena where women were valued as the spiritual and moral guides.

< Religion has always been meaningful in African-American life. It acted as a reminder of slavery and offers hope for the future. The women singing in this choir are examples of how black women gained a voice in the face of both racial and gender oppression.

Ladies Aid Society
of First Congregational Church
Derby, ca. 1890’s
Photo CD: 0541 File: Img0014.pcd

< Many upper class women who did not hold jobs outside the home and had servants to aid them in the housework spent their free time participating in clubs and societies. The Ladies Aid Society was a charitable organization that planned events and volunteered to help those less fortunate.

Link to other essays in this Journey:

>> Introduction: Women At Work
>> Women on Farms
>> Factories and Unskilled Wage Labor
>> Domestic Service
>> Women as Educators
>> Improved Educational Opportunities for Women
>> White Collar Employment
>> Women in War
>> Women in Music, Art, Literature

>> Guideposts
>> Suggestions for further reading