Alabama's Colored Women's Club facts for kids

The Alabama Federation of Colored Women's Clubs was a group of important clubs for African American women in Alabama. These clubs worked to improve their communities and help people. Some of the first clubs included the "Ten Times One is Ten Club" and the Anna M. Duncan Club.

These early clubs joined together to form the Alabama Federation of Colored Women's Clubs in 1899. By 1904, there were over 26 such clubs across Alabama. The most active clubs were found in cities like Birmingham, Selma, Mobile, and Tuskegee.

Early Women's Clubs in Alabama

The very first African American women's club in Alabama was the "Ten Times One is Ten Club." It started in Montgomery, Alabama in 1888. Laura Coleman, who founded the club, wanted to help both the members and the wider community.

Another important club was the Anna M. Duncan Club of Montgomery, started in 1897. Anna M. Duncan helped pay for this club, which focused on education and community service. It was first known as the Twentieth Century Club. This club continued its work for many years, helping the community.

Tuskegee Women's Club

The Tuskegee Women's Club was formed by women who taught at the Tuskegee Institute and the wives of male teachers there. Margaret Murray Washington was a key leader in starting this club in 1895.

Thirteen women attended the first meeting. The club aimed to help members grow smarter and stronger in their character. Meetings were held twice a month, and new teachers were encouraged to join. Since the members were connected to the school, their projects often involved learning and education. The Tuskegee Women's Club also helped create new communities and social services. For example, they were among the first to offer educational help to people living in a poor plantation area.

Tuskegee Mothers' Club

One of the most successful projects of the Tuskegee Women's Club was creating the Mothers' Club. The idea for this club came to Margaret Washington in 1892. Her husband, Booker T. Washington, had talked about the challenges faced by Black men. This made Margaret Washington realize that women were often overlooked.

She believed that women sometimes didn't realize how important they were. So, she decided to work with mothers in Tuskegee and nearby areas. The Mothers' Club helped local mothers improve their education and personal care. Many mothers didn't know their exact age, so the club helped them remember events from their childhood to figure it out. The club also helped mothers gain confidence and learn how to become more independent.

Alabama Federation of Colored Women's Clubs

Margaret Murray Washington was the main organizer and first president of the Alabama Federation of Colored Women's Clubs (AFCWC). This important group was officially started on December 29, 1899. Cornelia Bowen was also an early leader.

At their first meeting, the club members talked about how to solve big problems in society. One urgent need was to create a special school for African American young people who had gotten into trouble. The club became very involved in improving prisons.

The Federation successfully helped young Black prisoners get released into the care of a boys' school they built at Mt. Meigs. Margaret Washington's guidance helped save many young lives from prison. This special school for boys received less support from the state compared to schools for white boys. The club members also helped older prisoners by providing personal care and religious services. Later, Alabama took over the boys' school. The AFCWC then raised money to build housing for young girls at Mt. Meigs. Improving prisons was a national issue, and the national office of the NACW eventually joined this program.