Irene Moorman Blackstone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Irene Moorman Blackstone
Moorman, 1907
Born	Irene L. Moorman January 1872 Virginia
Nationality	American
Other names	I. L. Moorman, Irena M. Blackstone, Irena Moorman-Blackston, Irene Moorman, Irene Morman, Irene Mormon, Irene M. Blackston, Irene Moorman-Blackstone
Occupation	Businesswoman, clubwoman, suffragette
Years active	1895–1944

Irene Moorman Blackstone (born January 1872 – died after 1944) was an amazing African-American businesswoman and a strong leader in women's clubs. She became very active in the fight for women's suffrage, which was the right for women to vote.

Irene worked with Alva Belmont to bring women of different races together to fight for voting rights. After the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote, Irene focused her efforts on the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). She also supported other groups that worked to improve life for the black community. Her goal was to stop unfair treatment and help black people achieve equal opportunities in society, business, and politics.

Early Life and Family

Irene L. Moorman was born in January 1872 in Virginia. Her mother, Johanna Moorman, had been a slave. Johanna was born in Virginia and later moved to Washington, D.C. She then returned to Virginia.

Irene's mother had 18 children. Later, Johanna moved to New Jersey with Irene and her brother, Wilson.

Building a Business Career

Around 1895, Irene Moorman started her career in the brokerage business. She worked as a sub-agent. After four years, she joined the Metropolitan Mercantile and Realty Company. There, she managed the company's work in Brooklyn.

Irene was a talented singer, but she chose to focus on business. She helped develop many businesses. She was on the board of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. She also founded and led the Metropolitan Business Women's Club of Brooklyn. Irene was an active member of the women's group of the Negro Business League of New York.

Creating a Community Hub

In 1906, Irene started the Metropolitan Club. Her goal was to raise enough money to build a place for black businesses and groups to meet. Many well-known African-American leaders supported her efforts. These included Dr. M. Cravath Simpson and Mary Church Terrell.

After raising enough money, a building was secured. Three rooms and a business office were set up. In 1909, Irene started the Moorman-Harper Company. This company was created to manage the new hall.

Fighting for Women's Rights

In 1910, Irene Moorman joined the fight for women's right to vote. She answered the call of Alva Belmont to join her Political Equality League. Irene became a regular speaker about women's suffrage. She was known as an active clubwoman and a supporter of social change.

Joining the UNIA Movement

In 1916, Irene Blackstone attended Marcus Garvey's first public speech in New York City. In 1917, she became the president of the Ladies' Division of the New York Chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA).

When Garvey moved his main office from Jamaica to New York City in 1918, Irene Blackstone helped him. She, along with Carrie B. Mero and Harriet Rogers, helped make the UNIA an official organization. They were also appointed to Garvey's board of directors. Irene continued to be active in various clubs. She often sang or spoke at events in New York City and other places, like Philadelphia. She also spoke at a memorial for Madam C. J. Walker in 1919.

Continuing the Fight for Equality

When the 19th Amendment was passed, giving women the right to vote, Irene Blackstone focused on Garveyism. She was one of the first people to buy stock in his Black Star Line shipping company in 1919. She believed that working at the local level could help achieve social and economic equality.

Irene had always supported black businesses and society. She suggested that black people should support their own businesses and create new ones. By the early 1920s, she started using the name Irene or Irena Moorman Blackstone. She used this name for the rest of her life.

In 1930, Blackstone was chosen as vice president of the New York City Federation of Women's Clubs. The next year, she became president of both the local and state branches of the federation. Throughout the 1930s, she continued to speak and rally for the black community and women's rights. She was known as a powerful and inspiring speaker. She encouraged women to support the Democratic Party. She also urged the National Council of Women of the United States to protect the right of all citizens to vote, no matter their race or past status. In 1944, she was elected as a vice president in the Ethiopian World Federation.

Legacy and Impact

Irene Moorman Blackstone is remembered for her important role in bringing different races together in the fight for women's right to vote in New York. She is also remembered for her long dedication to supporting black unity. She believed this unity was key to gaining equal opportunities in society, business, and politics.