National Council of Negro Women facts for kids
| Founded | 1935 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Mary McLeod Bethune |
| Location | |
| Website | https://ncnw.org/ |
The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) is a group that helps people. It was started in 1935. Its main goal is to improve life for African-American women, their families, and their communities. Mary McLeod Bethune, who started the NCNW, wanted Black women to be more involved in community, government, money, and education.
The NCNW was like a central place for sharing ideas about women's activities. It wanted to work with groups that supported civil rights. But it focused more on helping Black women succeed in politics and business. This helped them rise up in society. The NCNW does this by doing research, speaking up for people, and offering programs in the United States and Africa.
The NCNW acts as a big "umbrella" group. It brings together many other African-American organizations that already existed. It has 37 national partner groups and over 200 local sections. This means it reaches almost four million women. All these women work together to find peaceful ways to solve problems related to human well-being and rights. The main office, which plans programs, is in Washington, D.C.. It is on Pennsylvania Avenue, between the White House and the U.S. Capitol. The NCNW also has two other offices.
Contents
How NCNW Helps Communities
The NCNW has also created several cookbooks. Their first one, The Historical Cookbook of the American Negro, came out in 1958. Sue Bailey Thurman edited it. It took over ten years to create and raise money for. It includes research and recipes from African-American women across the country.
The cookbook's goals matched the NCNW's goals. These included working for world peace and valuing African-American heritage. This cookbook is not organized by food type. Instead, it follows the calendar year. It starts with "Hopping John" for Emancipation Proclamation Day. It ends with "Hot Apple Punch" for Christmas.
One goal was to honor African-American heroes and heroines. For example, George Washington Carver has his own recipe in the cookbook. This recipe is for "Carver Commemoration Day." The cookbook also wanted to show how African-American achievements are part of U.S. history. This history often focused only on the accomplishments of white men. Sue Bailey Thurman wanted to show how history is found in the cultural products of family recipes.
The NCNW did not make another cookbook for over thirty years. Then, in the 1990s, they released more. These included The Black Family Reunion Cookbook: Recipes and Food Memories (1991). Others were The Black Family Dinner Quilt Cookbook: Health Conscious Recipes and Food Memories (1993). And Celebrating Our Mothers' Kitchens: Treasured Memories and Tested Recipes (1994).
These three cookbooks focused more on food itself. But they still included family stories and personal memories. They also had political thoughts, popular culture, and food customs. All of these were mixed with cooking instructions. The recipes came from old family recipes from African-American women. They also included documented historical recipes. Many recipes in these newer cookbooks start with a short story. This story might be about a loved family member. Or it might connect the food to a special event or place.
These cookbooks also wanted to show the power of food. They highlighted happy family memories. They also showed images of well-fed children. This helped create positive African-American memories. It also helped fight against negative ideas about African-American women. These ideas had been around in the U.S. since slavery. The NCNW cookbooks helped build a strong African-American identity around food.
NCNW's Work for Change
In 1965, the NCNW helped with Freedom Schools. These schools were part of programs to help people in Mississippi. The NCNW had helped set up these programs. They brought in many women from the North. These women had skills in areas like psychology and education. They also had many volunteers who helped.
Important Leaders of NCNW
Mary McLeod Bethune's Vision
Mary McLeod Bethune was the founder of the NCNW. She also started Bethune–Cookman University in Florida in 1904. This college was for Black students. From 1936 to 1942, she was president of the college and the NCNW. She also worked for President Roosevelt. Her goal was to help African-American women achieve their dreams. She wanted to help those who felt ignored or treated unfairly.
Dorothy Height's Leadership
When Mary McLeod Bethune stepped down in 1949, other leaders continued her work. Dorothy Height became the NCNW's fourth president in 1957. She led the organization for 40 years, until 1997. She helped women feel strong and capable. Dorothy Height marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in civil rights events. She was also invited to President Obama's inauguration. President Obama spoke at her funeral.
One of Dorothy Height's main concerns was poverty among Black people. She started a program in Mississippi. This program aimed to provide better food and housing for those in need. She worked with the government to help Black women get houses for their families. A key part of this program was a "pig bank." This bank would lend pigs to Black families. They would pay back one pig per family as interest. By 1957, the original 55 "pig banks" had grown to over 2,000 pigs. This program helped many poor families in the rural South. It made practical improvements in their daily lives. It also helped many families get out of poverty by providing food.
Preserving History
Mary McLeod Bethune wanted African-American women to have their own place for records and history. This would help empower women. She used the NCNW to help create the National Archives for Black Women's History. A special committee was set up to find information about different African-American women. This helped them feel just as educated and important.
NCNW's Programs and Impact
The NCNW has many programs both in the U.S. and around the world.
- The annual Black Family Reunion Program Celebration.
- Teaching people about important court decisions and speaking up for African Americans.
- Programs to help young children learn to read. This helps close the learning gap.
- A new project called African American Women As We Age. This helps women learn about health and money.
- A program to help reduce obesity.
- Working with NASA to create Community Learning Centers. These centers help students who might not get enough support.
- Helping eight Youth Opportunity Centers in Washington, DC.
NCNW also works internationally:
- It has a special role at the United Nations. This allows it to speak for African-American women.
- It works with women's groups in Benin. They offer technology, reading, and business programs.
- It connects young people in Uganda, North Africa, and the U.S. through educational exchanges.
- It helped start small businesses in Senegal.
- It helped with a large program in Eritrea. This program gave small business loans and training to over 500 women.
The NCNW is an umbrella group for 39 national and local groups. These groups support women of African descent in the U.S. and other countries. The NCNW works with partners in 34 states. It also runs four research centers. These centers find the best ways to help African-American women with health, education, and money needs.
National Black Family Reunion
The NCNW organizes the National Black Family Reunion. This is a two-day event that celebrates the strengths and values of African-American families.
NCNW Leaders Over Time
- Mary McLeod Bethune (1935–1949)
- Dorothy Boulding Ferebee (1949–1953)
- Vivian Carter Mason (1953–1957)
- Dorothy Height (1957–1997)
- Barbara L. Shaw (2010–2012)
- Ingrid Saunders Jones (2012–2018)
- Johnnetta B. Cole (2018–2022)
- Dr. Thelma T. Daley (2022–2023)
Current President and CEO
- Rev. Shavon L. Arline-Bradley (2023–present)
Executive Directors
- Alfreda Davis
- Avis Jones-DeWeever (2010–2012)
- Janice L. Mathis (2016–2023)
Uncommon Height Awards
The NCNW gives out the Uncommon Height Awards. These awards honor people who have made great contributions.
See also
- Africana womanism
- List of women's organizations
