Victoria Clay Haley facts for kids
Victoria Clay Haley (born January 1, 1877 – died after July 1926), later known as Victoria Clay Roland, was an important American leader. She worked as a suffragist, which means she fought for women's right to vote. She was also a clubwoman, meaning she was active in many community groups. She became a bank executive and helped raise money for important causes. She lived in St. Louis, Missouri, and later in Chicago.
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Early Life and Education
Victoria Clay was born in Macon, Mississippi. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents were Samuel Clay and Charlotte Williams Clay. In 1895, she graduated from Sumner High School in St. Louis. After that, she went to a business college in Chicago to learn about business.
Making a Difference
Victoria Clay taught school from 1900 until she got married in 1904. She was a very active person in her community.
Community Leadership
Victoria Clay Haley was the first vice-president of the Young Women's Christian Association in St. Louis. This organization helps young women. She also served two terms on the board of commissioners for a school that helped young women who needed guidance.
She was a writer too! She was an editor for a weekly newspaper called St. Louis Afro-American. She also wrote short stories. She was a member of the National Negro Press Association, a group for Black journalists.
Fighting for the Right to Vote
In 1913, Victoria Clay Haley was the president of the Federated Colored Women's Clubs of St. Louis. That year, a big meeting about women's right to vote was held in St. Louis. Haley attended this meeting, even though the hotel where it was held did not usually welcome Black guests. Some people at the hotel and other attendees asked her to leave. But she bravely stayed in her seat, and the leaders of the conference supported her right to be there. She even went back to the same conference the next year in Des Moines, Iowa.
National Work and World War I
Haley was very involved with the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACW). This was a major group for Black women across the country. She was on the executive committee for the Frederick Douglass Home. This project worked to preserve the home of the famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
In 1914, she helped the NACW support the work of her friend, Madam C. J. Walker. Madam C. J. Walker was a successful businesswoman. During World War I, Victoria Clay Haley led important efforts. She chaired the St. Louis chapter of the Colored Women's Unit of the Council of National Defense. She also led the Colored Women's War Savings Commission of Missouri. These groups helped with war efforts and encouraged people to save money for the country.
Politics and Other Roles
Victoria Clay Haley was active in politics, especially with the Republican party in St. Louis. In 1920, she was an alternate delegate for Missouri at the Republican National Convention. This was a big meeting where the party chose its candidate for president. In 1921, she directed efforts to reach out to Black women voters for the Republican National Committee.
She was also involved in church work. She was the Grand Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star in Missouri. This is a fraternal organization. In 1912, she was also a leader in a group called the Grand Fountain of the United Order of True Reformers in St. Louis.
In the 1920s, she joined the executive board of the Douglass National Bank of Chicago. In 1926, she was chosen to lead a fundraising effort for the NACW. Her job was to raise money to build a national headquarters for the organization.
Personal Life
Victoria Clay married James L. Haley in 1904. They divorced in 1921. Soon after, she moved to Chicago. In Chicago, she became known as Victoria Clay Roland.
