Ruth Standish Baldwin (December 5, 1865 – December 1934) was the wife of railroad tycoon

William Henry Baldwin Jr. William Henry Baldwin Jr. (February 5, 1863 – January 3, 1905) was an American railroad executive and philanthropist. He was president of the Long Island Rail Road. and was instrumental in establishing African American industrial education by s ...

and a co-founder of the National Urban League. Her father was Samuel Bowles III. Her daughter married a painter. She graduated from

Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith (Smith College ...

in 1887. She married Baldwin in 1889. They had two children, Ruth Standish Baldwin and William Henry Baldwin III. Her husband died in 1905. The same year she joined with

Frances Kellor Frances Alice Kellor (October 20, 1873 – January 4, 1952) was an American social reformer and investigator, who specialized in the study of immigrants to the United States and women. Early life and education Frances Alice Kellor was born Oct ...

, a social worker and attorney, to form the National League for the Protection of Colored Women in order to protect women migrating to the north who might be "easy targets for con men who could lead them into prostitution". The NLPCW organized to steer women into safe employment instead. She founded the Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negros with

George Edmund Haynes George Edmund Haynes (May 11, 1880 – January 8, 1960) was an American sociology scholar and federal civil servant, a co-founder and first executive director of the National Urban League, serving 1911 to 1918.

in 1910. She commissioned architect

Ehrick Rossiter Ehrick Kensett Rossiter (September 14, 1854 – October 14, 1941) was an American architect known for the country homes he designed.Chester Bowles Chester Bliss Bowles (April 5, 1901 – May 25, 1986) was an American diplomat and ambassador, governor of Connecticut, congressman and co-founder of a major advertising agency, Benton & Bowles, now part of Publicis Groupe. Bowles is best known f ...

. She helped found

Highlander Folk School The Highlander Research and Education Center, formerly known as the Highlander Folk School, is a social justice leadership training school and cultural center in New Market, Tennessee. Founded in 1932 by activist Myles Horton, educator Don West (e ...

at the end of her life. She was friendly with

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

and they wrote to each other.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baldwin, Ruth 1865 births 1934 deaths American founders Smith College alumni