Also American
AchievementJuly 21, 1896· leadership

Mary Church Terrell helps found the National Association of Colored Women

Mary Church Terrell became the first president of the National Association of Colored Women in 1896, the largest organization of Black women in the United States, uniting hundreds of local clubs under the motto 'Lifting As We Climb.' The organization fought for suffrage, anti-lynching legislation, and social welfare, establishing Black women as a major force in American civic life.