Josephine Wilkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josephine Wilkins
Josephine Wilkins, in 1934.
Born	Josephine Mathewson Wilkins September 30, 1893 Athens, Georgia
Died	May 30, 1977 Port Charlotte, Florida

Josephine Mathewson Wilkins (September 30, 1893 – May 30, 1977) was an American social activist. She worked to make life better for many people. She was the president of the Georgia State League of Women Voters. In 2022, she was honored by being added to the Georgia Women of Achievement.

Early Life and Education

Josephine Mathewson Wilkins was born in Athens, Georgia. Her parents were John Julian Wilkins Sr. and Jessie Stanley Horton Wilkins. She went to school at the Lucy Cobb Institute in Athens. Later, she earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia. She also studied art in New York City. While there, she took classes at Columbia University.

Working for Change

Helping Children and Communities

In 1925, Wilkins began working to create laws about child labor. These laws aimed to protect children who worked in factories or farms. When the child labor bill passed, Franklin D. Roosevelt sent her a special message of congratulations.

In 1933, she joined a group of citizens in Atlanta. They worked to stop police from treating Black residents unfairly.

Leading the League of Women Voters

Wilkins was elected president of the Georgia State League of Women Voters in 1934. This group helps people understand how to vote and why it's important. She said that such groups were very important. She believed they helped people make changes through voting. She retired from this role in 1940.

Fighting for Fairness

Wilkins worked with Governor Ellis Arnall. They created the Georgia Citizens Fact-Finding Movement. This group helped bring together different efforts for reform. She also worked with Jessie Daniel Ames to create anti-lynching laws. These laws aimed to stop violent attacks against Black people. In the 1940s, she helped start and lead the Southern Regional Council. This group worked for racial equality and justice.

Family Business and Legacy

From 1954 until her death, Wilkins was the president of Wilkins, Inc. This company managed her family's businesses and their charity work. In 1973, she shared her life story in an interview. This interview is now part of a collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Later Life

Josephine Wilkins passed away in Port Charlotte, Florida, in 1977. She was 83 years old. Her nephews gave her important papers to Emory University in 1978. These papers help people learn about her work.