Jump to: National Officers
Who Are We
At the call of Mrs. Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, the National Association of Colored Women's Clubss, Inc. was founded in Washington, D.C. in July 1896 by the merger of the National Federation of Afro-American Women, the Women's Era Clubs of Boston, and the Colored Women's League of Washington, D.C.
The Association became and has remained a significant voice in national affairs and contributed to the uplifting of the American way of life since 1896. Membership includes women and youth in 32 states dedicated to "raising to the highest plane the homelife, moral standards, and civic life of our race." As we continue in the mainstream of economic progression, we, the colored women of the United States of America, stand united for service to humanity.
Our Objectives
- To work for the economic, moral, religous and social welfare of women and youth.
- To protect the rights of women and youth.
- To raise the standard and quality of life in home and family.
- To secure and use our influence for the enforcement of civil and political rights for African Americans and all citizens.
- To promote the education of women and youth through the work of the departments.
- To obtain for African American women the opportunity of reaching the highest levels in all fields of human endeavor.
- To promote effective interaction with the male auxiliary.
- To promote inter-racial understanding so that justice and good will may prevail among all people.
- To hold educational workshops biennially at the Convention.
Our History
In 1895, Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin issued a call for a national meeting of Colored Women to take place in Boston, Massachusetts. Following that initial meeting, the National Association of Colored Women's Clubss, Inc. was organized in 1896 in Washington D.C. at the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church. NACWC grew out of the merger of two nationally representative organizations. The Colored Women's League of Washington and the National Federation of Afro-American Women. Mrs. Mary Church Terrell was elected the first president.
The Colored Women's League was organized in 1893 in Washington, D.C. with Mrs. Helen Cook as President. The National Federation of Afro-American Women had been organized in Boston, Massachusetts in 1895 with Mrs. Booker T. Washington as President.
The birth of NACWC in 1896 marked the beginning of a new era in African American womanhood and provided a vehicle for action through organized effort.
Milestones of Progress
| Incorporated July 26, 1904 in St. Louis, Missouri Paid Mortgage on Douglas Home |
1916 |
| Established Hallie Quinn Brown Scholarship Loan Fund | 1922 |
| Built Douglass Home Caretaker Cottage | 1924 |
| Purchased National Headquarters at 1114 0 St., N.W Washington, D.C. | 1928 |
| Established National Association of Colored Girls | 1930 |
| Purchased current National Headquarters at 1601 R Street, N,W, Washington, D.C. | 1954 |
| Paid Mortgage on National Headquarters | 1962 |
| Frederick Douglass Home Declared National Shrine by an Act of Congress | 1962 |
| Purchased National Headquarters at 5808 16th St., N.W, Washington, D.C. | 1970 |
| Paid mortgage on National Headquarters | 1978 |
| Organized National Association of Boys Clubs | 1980 |
| Established Gertrude Johnson Williams Oratorical Contest for NACWC Youth | 1982 |
| Established Male Volunteers | 1984 |
| Home and School Institute Mentoring Program instituted NACWC Record available on microfilm for scholarly research |
1992 |
| Built Maternity Healthcare Center in Senegal | 1994 |
| Celebrated 100th Anniversary | 1996 |
| Organized College Chapters at Texas, Tennessee and Purdue Universities | 1997 |
| Initiated pilot project to establish Grandparents Academy | 1998 |
| Established the NACWC/Talladega College Education Partnership | 1998 |
| Completed renovation of 1601 R Street, N. W. Headquarters | 2000 |
| Initiated collaboration with Women for Women | 2000 |
| Received grant from estate of Dr. Edmonia Polite to Establish the Patricia L. Fletcher Scholarship | 2002 |
| Received first place monetary award from the Black Woman’s Agenda for the Grandparents Academy funded by Annie E. Casey Foundation | 2002 |
| Initiated collaboration with Women for Women International | 2003 |
| Participated in the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Mary Church Terrell Place in Washington, DC | 2004 |
| Commissioned 2nd edition of NACWC Legacy of Service | 2005 |
| Celebrated 110th Anniversary in Detroit, Michigan | 2006 |
| Hosted a Pre-Inaugural Reception for President Elect Obama | 2009 |
| Published "From Then Until Now", a national directory | 2010 |
| Named by Ebony Magazine as one of the top 10 non-profit organization in the country | 2010 |