Colored Women's League facts for kids
| Abbreviation | CWL |
|---|---|
| Merged into | National Association of Colored Women |
| Formation | June 1892 |
| Founders | |
| Dissolved | July 21, 1896 |
| Type | |
| Location |
|
|
Membership
|
113 organizations |
|
President
|
Helen Appo Cook |
The Colored Women's League (CWL) was a special group started by African-American women in Washington, D.C. in June 1892. It was like a club for women who wanted to make things better for their community. Helen Appo Cook was the first president.
The main goal of the CWL was to bring together African-American women across the country. In 1896, the Colored Women's League joined with another group, the National Federation of Afro-American Women, to create a bigger organization. This new group was called the National Association of Colored Women. Mary Church Terrell became its first president.
Contents
How the Colored Women's League Started
In June 1892, a group of important African-American women met in Washington, D.C.. They wanted to create a club to help black children, women, and people living in poverty. Some of these founding women included Anna J. Cooper, Helen Appo Cook, Mary Church Terrell, and Ida B. Wells.
Helen Appo Cook was chosen as the first president. The Colored Women's League was a large group, bringing together 113 different organizations. Their main aim was to unite African-American women across the nation.
In 1894, Helen Appo Cook shared some of the league's achievements in a newspaper called The Woman's Era. This was the first national newspaper made by and for African-American women. The league hosted talks for girls at high schools and Howard University. They also raised money for a home for the league. They started classes in German, English Literature, and hygiene. They even set up a sewing school and a mending service with many students and teachers. Mary Church Terrell also shared updates about the CWL's work in this newspaper. A historian named Fannie Barrier Williams said the CWL had the most members of any African-American women's club in the country.
Joining Forces: The Mergers
The main goal of the CWL was to unite African-American women across the country. This goal was finally reached on July 21, 1896. On that day, the National Association of Colored Women was formed. This happened when the Colored Women's League joined with the National Federation of Afro-American Women.
People in the African-American community talked a lot about this merger. Many newspapers, like the Leavenworth Herald, shared different opinions. At first, the Colored Women's League didn't want to join the National Federation of Afro-American Women. This was because President Cook didn't have the power to make that decision alone.
However, Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin made an important plea. She wanted to protect the good name of black women. Her plea was a response to a newspaper article by a Southern white journalist. This article had made fun of the moral character of black women. To fight these negative ideas, Margaret Murray Washington, who was president of the National Federation of Afro-American Women, and Helen A. Cook started planning to combine their groups. After the two organizations merged, Mary Church Terrell was chosen as the first president of the new National Association of Colored Women.
Friendly Competition: Rivalries
Both the Colored Women's League and the Federation of Afro-American Women had similar goals. They both wanted to improve life for black women, children, and those who needed help. But before they merged, they didn't always agree.
The biggest reason for their friendly competition was a debate. They argued about which organization was the first to be officially recognized as a national group. Mary Church Terrell, who became the first president of the NACW, explained it. She said that "although the CWL was the first to suggest there should be a national organization," the National Federation of Afro-American Women was the first to actually meet nationally.
After the NACW was created, there was another short competition. This was about who would lead the new national organization. Each group had seven representatives who voted. This made voting difficult, as it often resulted in a 7-7 tie. Eventually, Mary Church Terrell from the Colored Women's League was named the first president of the NACW. She was thirty-three years old at the time.
What People Thought: Criticism
Many members of the Colored Women's League, especially the leaders, came from high social standings. Some people even called them "female aristocrats of color." Because of this, the league faced some criticism.
Some argued that their idea of "racial uplift" was mostly for the upper class. They felt it didn't always help everyone equally. Still, the success of the CWL inspired other African-American women. It showed them that they could create a united front for themselves. This led to many other clubs being formed.
The National League of Colored Women
On July 21, 1896, the Colored Women’s League joined with the National Federation of Afro-American Women. Together, they formed the National League of Colored Women. This new organization was created in Washington D.C. Mary Church Terrell was elected as its first president.
The new group expanded on the goals of the Colored Women's League. It aimed to help black women across the entire nation. Here are some of their main goals:
- To bring together African-American women from all over the country.
- To make conditions better for black women in local areas and nationwide.
- To gather facts showing the "moral, intellectual, industrial and social growth" of their people. They wanted to encourage unity and find ways to help African-American people in every way.
- To create a kindergarten for the black community.
- To educate young people.
- To teach evening classes in subjects like literature and language.
