Lena Madesin Phillips facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lena Madesin Phillips
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from "An Organization of Builders" Independent Woman, August 1921
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| Born | September 15, 1881 |
| Died | May 22, 1955 (aged 73) |
| Occupation | American lawyer and clubwoman |
| Known for | Founder of both the National and the International Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs |
| Parent(s) | Alice Phillips and Judge William Henry Phillips |
Lena Madesin Phillips (September 15, 1881 - May 22, 1955) was an American lawyer and leader. She was born in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Lena is famous for starting two big organizations for women. In 1919, she founded the National Business and Professional Women's Clubs in the United States. Later, in 1930, she started the International Federation of Business and Professional Women.
Lena Phillips was president of both groups for many years. She worked hard as an activist throughout her life. She wrote many articles and gave speeches to help her causes. She also worked on two important magazines: Independent Woman and Pictorial Review.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Lena Madesin Phillips was born as Anna Lena Phillips. She was born on September 15, 1881, in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Her father was Judge William Henry Phillips. Her mother was Alice Phillips.
From a young age, Lena wanted to do more than what was expected of girls back then. She really wanted to get a good education. When she was 7, she went to the Jessamine Female Institute. She studied everything there, including music.
When Lena was 11, she changed her middle name to "Madesin." This name came from the French word médecin, meaning "doctor." She chose it to honor her older brother George, who was studying to become a doctor in Paris, France. She used the name Madesin for the rest of her life. Lena graduated from the institute at 18 with high honors.
College and Law Studies
Lena went to the Woman's College of Baltimore, which is now called Goucher College. She continued to study music there. For a while, she hoped to become a concert pianist. She studied very hard, but she became ill from working too much.
While recovering, she hurt her arm, which stopped her from playing music for a long time. She had to leave college. Lena then started teaching music at the Jessamine Female Institute, where she had studied as a child.
Later, Lena decided to study law. Her father was a judge, and she was interested in politics. She went to the University of Kentucky law school. She traveled 12 miles every day from Nicholasville to Lexington for her classes. It was not easy for a woman to study law at that time. But Lena worked hard. In 1917, she was the first woman to graduate with full honors from the law school. She had the best grades in her whole class. After graduating, she opened her own law office in Nicholasville.
Helping Women in the United States
Lena Phillips moved to New York City for her work as a lawyer. She worked for the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA). She also served as a secretary for their National War Work Council. She wanted to bring working women together.
After World War I, Lena helped create a permanent organization for businesswomen. In July 1919, at a meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, she helped start the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs of the United States (NFBPWC). In 1920, she helped launch the group's magazine, Independent Woman.
Lena continued her studies and earned a master's degree in law from New York University in 1923. She then started her own law practice in New York City. From 1926 to 1929, Lena served as the president of the NFBPWC.
The NFBPWC worked to achieve equality for women. They especially wanted women to earn the same pay as men in business. The group also worked to stop child labor and promote peace around the world. In 1930, the NFBPWC supported the Equal Rights Amendment. Lena traveled across the country, giving speeches about the club. She visited places like Kansas City, Colorado, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, California. She was very dedicated to her activism, sometimes even getting exhausted.
Lena often wrote articles and pamphlets about these important issues. She spoke to both women's and men's groups. After leaving her law practice in 1935, she worked as a writer and editor for the Pictorial Review magazine until 1939. This was during the Great Depression.
Building International Connections
Lena Phillips wanted to reach women all over the world. She went on trips to Europe in 1928 and 1929. On her first trip, she visited England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. She met with businesswomen in these countries to talk about starting clubs there.
Lena returned to Geneva, Switzerland. On August 26, 1930, she founded the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW). Lena Madesin Phillips was chosen as the first president of the IFBPW. She served in this role until 1947.
Lena believed that if women gained economic equality, they would also achieve equality in education, social life, and politics. She once said, " ...if our motive is right, if we have faith, vision and courage, accomplishment must come." Lena made many trips to Europe for club business until she passed away in 1955.
Death and Legacy
Lena Phillips continued her work as an activist until the end of her life. She died on May 22, 1955, in Marseilles, France. She was on her way to a meeting with women in the Middle East. Her body was brought back to Kentucky and buried in Nicholasville.
Lena left behind a manuscript for her autobiography, which was not finished. A writer named Lisa Sergio used this manuscript for her 1972 book about Lena Phillips. Lena's collected papers are kept at Harvard University.
A historical marker was placed near her birthplace in Nicholasville, Kentucky. It honors her and marks the spot where she was born.
