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• 1 2018-10-04T16:51:10+00:00 The National Association of Colored Women 9 plain 2018-10-05T12:19:36+00:00 On the morning of Monday, July 20, 1896 when the 2nd Annual Convention of Colored Women met at the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. the objective was to consolidate the clubs of the National League of Colored Women and the Federation of Afro-American Women. Two committees consisting of seven members from each organization were appointed to consider the question of consolidation. Miss A. V. Thompkins, Chairman of the committee of the National League, had the authority to effect a merger along with the other six members (Miss Coralie Franklin, Miss Julia Jones, Mrs. Fannie Jackson, Florence A. Barber, Miss E. G. G. Merritt, and Miss Anna Jones). The committee appointed by the Federation of Afro-American Women (Mrs. Victoria E. Mathews, Mrs. Rosa D. Bowser, Mrs. Josephine Ruffin, Mrs. Addie Hunter, Mrs. Selma Buffer) and chaired by Mary Church Terrell had no such authority, but were instead instructed to report back to the body at large. 
  
       By Tuesday, July 21, after much discussion and the passage of several resolutions, the Committee appointed by the Federation was given the power to consolidate the union. There were many issues to consider including choosing a name for the new association and naming its officers.  That night a joint committee consisting of seven members from each group was given the task of facilitating the merger. Mary Church Terrell was selected chairman of the joint committee.  Her strong leadership ability was evident on Wednesday morning, July 22, when the merger itself was under threat.

  The disposition on the part of a few of the ladies to attack the honesty and integrity of the committee by declaring that the League should be made to show up the great membership claimed and not give the Federation glittering generalities. Mrs. Terrell who had listened patiently to the attack made on the committee, secured the floor and in language as classic as the vestal goddesses and with the eloquence of the sirens, she defied any one to attack the honesty and integrity of the committee who had been selected to arrange a consolidation of  the two associations.
   

  • The Washington Bee. (Washington, D.C.), 25 July 1896. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84025891/1896-07-25/ed-1/seq-4/>

  
       When the dust settled on Wednesday evening Mary Church Terrell was declared president of the new body, the National Association of Colored Women. Fanny Jackson Coppin, another Oberlin graduate, became first vice president of the group.
  
  A decade later, in 1906, Mary Church Terrell gave a candid summary of the goals, objectives, and accomplishments of the organization's first ten years, stating:

  the members of the National Association of Colored Women have proved by deeds, as well as by words, their genuine interest in the work of elevating their handicapped and struggling race and their determination to promote its welfare in every way they can.  Carefully and conscientiously they are studying the questions which affect their race most deeply and directly.  Against the abuses which degrade and dishearten us we intend to agitate with such force of logic and intensity of soul that those who oppress us will either be converted to principles of justice and humanity or be ashamed openly to violate both human and divine law.
  
   

  • New-York tribune. (New York [N.Y.]), 08 July 1906. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1906-07-08/ed-1/seq-45/>