The Nineteenth Century Club facts for kids
The Nineteenth Century Club was a special group for women in Memphis, Tennessee. It was a women's club that focused on helping the community and making things better for everyone. The club believed that women could use their kind and helpful nature to improve the city, treating it like a big "household." They worked on important issues like keeping the city clean, improving health, education, jobs, and working conditions, especially for women and children.
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How the Club Started
The Nineteenth Century Club began in May 1890. A group of important white women met at the Gayoso Hotel in Memphis to create it. Some of the founding members were Elise Massey Selden, Elizabeth Fisher Johnson, Elizabeth Avery Meriwether, Elizabeth Lyle Saxon, Clara Conway, and Lide Meriwether.
What Were Their Goals?
The main goals of the club were to help women learn more and think deeply about books and ideas. They wanted to create a place where women in Memphis could gather and share knowledge. The club quickly became very popular. Its membership grew steadily, reaching its highest point with about 1,400 members in 1926.
Making a Difference in the City
In 1891, the club created a committee called "Philanthropy and Reform." This group worked to influence city leaders in Memphis. The women wanted to be part of making the city better. They believed that women's "gentler spirit" and "loving wisdom" could help with city matters.
Women's Role in Politics
Even though the club helped women have more influence in politics, the members always made sure to say they were not trying to cause big, radical changes. They explained that their work was just like "housekeeping" but for the whole city community. This kind of activism was seen as very selfless and feminine. Despite their humble descriptions, the club showed a "new sense of power" among American women, especially in the Southern states. The club's motto was "Influence is Responsibility," which showed how much they felt responsible for society.
In 1892, a big meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Women happened in a Southern city for the first time. The Nineteenth Century Club hosted this 20th annual meeting. Clara Conway, one of the club's founders, gave the opening speech. She said that women were "impatient with incompleteness" and wanted to move away from just having free time to become active and helpful members of society.
Successful Projects and Campaigns
The Nineteenth Century Club had many successful projects. They helped make sure there was a police matron (a female officer) at the city jail. They also helped get a female sanitary inspector at the Board of Health to check on cleanliness.
Helping Health and Education
The club also played a big part in forming the Shelby County Anti-Tuberculosis Society, which worked to fight tuberculosis. They also helped create a new city hospital. The club was very important in the early days of the West Tennessee State Normal School, which later became the University of Memphis.
In 1897, a branch of the club in Hamburg, New York, started the Hamburg Public Library. They did this to help the community and improve education. This branch had 19 women members, including librarians and teachers. In 1901, a group of businessmen took over the library's management. The New York State Education Department officially recognized the library in 1902, and it is still open today.
The Club Today
The Nineteenth Century Club still exists. In 1926, the club bought a large house built in 1906 by Rowland Darnell, a very successful lumber businessman in Memphis. The club stayed in this mansion for over 20 years.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, the number of members in the club slowly went down. Eventually, the mansion was sold. There was a legal disagreement about who owned the mansion and how to protect its history. In the end, the mansion was restored and turned into a restaurant.
External links
- The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association - This is the modern-day version of the historical club.
