Oregon Federation of Colored Women's Clubs facts for kids
Oregon women gained the right to vote in 1912. Around the state, women in different groups worked together. Portland had many African American women's clubs. One very important group was the Oregon Federation of Colored Women's Clubs. These clubs helped make big changes in their communities.
A Club for Change
Black women's clubs did many important things. They helped people register to vote. They also held public talks and events with famous leaders. These events taught communities about important political topics. The clubs played a big role both in Oregon and across the country. They helped improve relationships between different racial groups. They also encouraged African American communities to get involved in their cities and to grow stronger.
In early Black Portland, three main things helped build the community: women’s social clubs, newspapers, and groups that worked for the city. The Oregon Association of Colored Women's Clubs started in 1912. It was first called the Colored Women’s Council. This group brought together many smaller clubs that focused on city life and reading. Their motto was "Lift As We Climb." This meant they wanted to help each other and their community rise up. Katherine Gray was the first president when the club became the Oregon Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs.
Fighting for the Right to Vote
Women in the Oregon Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs were also very involved in the Suffrage movement. Suffrage means the right to vote. On May 12, 1912, members of the Colored Women’s Council of Portland had a meeting. At this meeting, they created the Colored Women’s Equal Suffrage League. Their main goal was to share ideas about equal voting rights with people of their race. Katherine Gray was the first president of this new league. Mrs. Lancaster was the vice president, Edith Gray was the treasurer, and Hattie Redmond was the secretary. Hattie Redmond later became the president of the league.
Connecting Across the Nation
The Oregon club was part of a larger national group called the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs (NACWC). This national group was based in Washington D.C. The NACWC was first called the National Association of Colored Women. It was formed in 1896 when two other large groups, the National Federation of Afro-American Women and the National League of Colored Women, joined together.
By 1988, the Oregon club was known as the Oregon Association of Color Women's Clubs. It had six active smaller clubs within it: the Altruistic Club, Fleur de Lis Club, Katherine Gray Club, Literary Research Club, Multnomah Women's Club, and the Harriet Tubman Club. These clubs focused on helping others and on education. They gave out a special Katherine Gray Scholarship. They also gave "Women of the Year" and "Family of the Year" awards. The clubs also supported local girls' clubs that were part of their group.
