ABSTRACT
In addition to the outright racial atrocities that could be visited on any African American at any time, were the petty indignities that colored the everyday lives of black people—in retail establishments, hotels, transportation, restaurants, education. African American women felt these affronts keenly and actively fought against them. During the Civil War, they used their husbands', fathers' sons' and brothers' participation as soldiers and sailors in their confrontation with the racial status quo. They also used their gender to illustrate how racism affected “proper ladies,” thereby establishing their right to be considered as such.
