[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLORED WOMEN'S CLUBS AND 
               YOUTH AFFILIATES, INC.'S 114TH ANNIVERSARY

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                           HON. MIKE COFFMAN

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 13, 2010

  Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Madam Speaker, today I would like to 
recognize the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and Youth 
Affiliates, Inc.'s 114th Anniversary and 57th Biennial Convention. This 
convention, scheduled to take place between July 29th and August 2nd in 
Denver, Colorado will be a fantastic opportunity for such a 
distinguished club to showcase its achievements and renowned history.
  The club's history dates back to 1895 when Josephine St. Pierre 
Ruffin issued a call for a national meeting of women of color to take 
place in Boston, Massachusetts. This marked the beginning of the 
National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. Founded by Ida B. Wells, 
Harriet Tubman, Frances E.W. Harper and Mary Church Terrell in 1896, 
the NACWC began the uphill battle for women and African Americans 
throughout the twentieth century. For the past one-hundred and fourteen 
years, the organization has fought barriers to economic and political 
advancement for women of color. Its creed encourages members to 
contribute heavily to community service within American society, 
particularly to causes related to the plight of the African American 
woman. It emphasizes the role of all women in improving society for the 
benefit of everyone. Through their educational workshops and seminars, 
their scholarship programs, and their youth programs, the NACWC has 
cultivated the talents of generations of successful women.
  Historically, the group was the educational and support base for 
Black Colleges and Universities, which promoted literacy among African 
Americans throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The work of the 
organization's founders and members has proven an inspiration for 
future African American women to lift up their communities as they 
climb their respective stairways to success. The National Association 
of Colored Women's Clubs has become the exemplar of what can be 
accomplished when women throughout the nation come together to promote 
interracial understanding, justice and peace among all people, raise 
the standard of the home, and advance the moral, economic, social and 
religious welfare of the family. The courage, persistence and unity of 
the women of the NACWC have served as inspiration and hope for the 
future of an America that will embrace the value of diversity for 
generations to come.

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