Title: Women’s Occupations - The Social Historian
Headings: Women’s Occupations
Women’s Occupations
Guest Post
Women’s Occupations in the Early Twentieth Century
Validity of Conclusions
1900 and 1910 Occupations
Social influences and family relationships
How this information was useful in writing a family history story
Guest Post by Sharon S Atkins

Content: For example, fewer workers would be working in agricultural jobs in January 1920 than in June 1900 – due to seasonal influences. Telephone Operators via Wikimedia Commons
Additionally, perhaps because there was more manufacturing and less agriculture in various regions of the country, occupations tended to be different from one region of the country to another. For example, in the South, due to the larger African-American population, more women were employed as servants, laundresses or farm laborers than in New England. The report compiler also noted that a higher number of people were employed in the East than in the West; likely due to greater opportunities in the East. Urban area afforded a greater percentage of women employed. During the early twentieth century, in cities of 25,000 people or more 32% of the women were gainfully employed. While, in smaller cities or country districts only 19% of the women were gainfully employed. Women work in the laundry via Wikimedia Commons
Likely driven by the necessity to work for a living, employment also appeared to be influenced by race and immigrant status. It was interesting to learn that 20% of white women with native born parents were gainfully employed, while 29% of women with immigrant parents were gainfully employed and 18% of women who themselves were immigrants were gainfully employed.