Purpose: This study examines women's participation in the welfare rights movement of the late 1960s and their response to policy changes in order to understand how identities (or standpoints) related to race, class, and gender impacted movement participation and reaction to changes in welfare policy (Collins, 1998; Hartsock, 1998). A multidimensional standpoint theory (Naples, 2003) was used to frame a historical examination of the welfare rights movement in the Detroit, Michigan area. This study addresses critiques of past research because it focuses on women and the ways in which their diversity influenced their perspectives.

Methods: Combined methods of oral history and document analysis were used, with a purposive theoretical (Silverman, 2000) sampling strategy insuring a diverse sample which fit the theoretical framework. In-depth oral history interviews were conducted with 10 women who participated in the welfare rights movement during 1964-1972. Documents created by movement participants, from archival sources located at Wayne State University, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and the Wisconsin State Historical Society were also analyzed. The theoretical framework was used to create a conceptual map for the study which acted as a guide for specific interview questions and categories of analysis for the documents. The map was organized in three chronological phases, and included categories for welfare policy, and participants' roles in social movement activity. Race, class, and gender acted as connecting, overarching components. Transcripts from the oral history interviews were initially coded and analyzed using the computer program Nvivo, with larger patterns and relationships analyzed using matrix displays (Miles & Huberman, 1994).

Results: Results indicate that an identity as “woman” or “mother” was important for both white middle class participants, and African American poverty class participants in their initial motivation to join the movement. Documents created by movement participants to combat perceived negative changes to welfare policy, also emphasized motherhood and the right to financial support in order to care for children. Differences in race and class were most pronounced in decision-making and leadership issues within the movement, evident in both the transcripts of oral history interviews and the documents examined. These results indicate that similarities in gender or motherhood status were helpful in motivating individuals to initially form linkages across difference, but connections were not maintained due to perceived imbalances in decision-making within the movement.

Implications for Practice: Community practitioners working with welfare recipients should be cognizant of both similarities and differences in race, class, and gender when attempting to bring women together to work for social change. The intersection of these aspects of identity continue to shape the ways in which women perceive empowerment, and its understanding will help practitioners and researchers maximize clients' and community members self-determination and advocacy efforts. Themes that emerged from this study indicate that the use of women's standpoints can be an important factor in developing linkages across difference as long as diversity is maintained in decision-making and leadership opportunities.