The International Council of Women of the Darker Races (ICWDR) was an organization for black women based in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

and headed by

Margaret Murray Washington Margaret Murray Washington (March 9, 1865 - June 4, 1925) was an American educator who was the principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, which later became Tuskegee University. She also led women’s clubs. She was the third wife ...

. In existence from 1922 to 1940, the ICWDR was "the first autonomous international organization among African American women".

History

The International Council of Women of the Darker Races was formed after the 1922 meeting of the

NACW The National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC) is an American organization that was formed in July 1896 at the First Annual Convention of the National Federation of Afro-American Women in Washington, D.C., United States, by a merger of t ...

in Richmond, Virginia. Margaret Murray Washington appears to have had the idea of such an organization in mind for some time. At the ICWDR's founding meeting, Washington was elected president. Other officers appointed were Mary Church Terrell, Addie Hunton,

Elizabeth Carter Elizabeth Carter (pen name Eliza; 16 December 1717 – 19 February 1806) was an English poet, classicist, writer, translator, linguist, and polymath. As one of the Bluestocking Circle that surrounded Elizabeth Montagu,Encyclopaedia BritannicRet ...

Charlotte Hawkins Brown Charlotte Hawkins Brown (June 11, 1883 – January 11, 1961) was an American author, educator, civil rights activist, and founder of the Palmer Memorial Institute in Sedalia, North Carolina. Early life Charlotte Hawkins Brown was born in Hender ...

, Mary S. Josenberger, Nannie Burroughs,

Lugenia Burns Hope Lugenia Burns Hope (February 19, 1871 – August 14, 1947), was a social reformer whose Neighborhood Union and other community service organizations improved the quality of life for African Americans in Atlanta, Georgia, and served as a model for ...

, Addie Dickerson and

Emily Williams Emily Williams (born 8 October 1984) is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame in 2005 on the third season of ''Australian Idol'' and became the runner-up of the competition. After ''Idol'', Williams signed with Sony B ...

. Adelaide Casely Hayford, visiting from

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierr ...

, was also a founding member. The ICWDR initially concentrated on education, developing a program of African-American literature, black literature and

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

, and supporting Casely Hayford's school in Sierra Leone. After Washington died in 1925, Addie Hunton became president. In 1928 she was succeeded by Addie Dickerson of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

. After Dickerson died in 1940, the ICWDR did not survive her.

References

{{Reflist African-American women's organizations Organizations established in 1922 Organizations disestablished in 1940 Women's organizations based in the United States Defunct women's organizations International non-profit organizations African-American history between emancipation and the civil rights movement