Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.), Germantown Branch Records

Like the other local YWCA groups, the YWCA of Germantown is a membership organization organizing the Women's Christian Association to provide training and assistance "for the temporal, moral and religious welfare of women, especially young women, who are dependent upon their own exertions for support."

In the fall of 1917, the plan of organizing a branch of the Germantown YWCA for African American women and girls was first formulated in midst of World War I. A group of white women interested in African studies became concerned about the needs of the black community in Germantown. They formed a committee, raising enough money to pay a secretary who, in turn, gathered over 1,000 memberships to start the Branch. An office building in central Germantown (6128 Germantown Avenue) was bought (the central building was at 5820 Germantown Ave.) and in 1918 the "Branch for Colored Girls and Women" opened.

The Germantown YWCA had its own Committee of Management and its own paid director, although the branch was to submit monthly reports to the Board of Directors of the central YWCA. The director was from the beginning an African American woman, as was the chairperson of the Committee of Management after the first 5 years. As the chairperson of this committee, she became a member of the Board of Directors of the main YWCA and also the first African American woman on the Board. As the Germantown YWCA grew in membership, its staff and program grew as well.

Although the programs at the Germantown YWCA were based chiefly on the needs of the African American community, the organization worked enthusiastically in furthering race relations. During the 1920s and 1930s there was a committee on race relations which sponsored many special events. These included the celebration of "Negro Achievement Week" in March 1928, an art display of painting and prints by African American artists in 1935, and a number of interracial tea parties throughout the 1930s. They also helped form a community committee, the "Interracial Committee of Germantown," which consisted of business people, interested community leaders, and other branch organizations of YWCA.

By the 1940s the integration in the YWCA was undertaken, so that "the purpose of the YWCA be recognized as involving the inclusion of Negroes in the mainstream of Association life and that such inclusion be adopted as a conscious goal." The goal of the integration was decided on that spring and the first step, after discussion by the membership and a vote by the board, was the opening of all programs to all women regardless of color, as "the community patterns do not require such separation." All offices of the program and staff from the 6128 building were moved to the 5820 building in 1947. The staff from both buildings were unified and the program was streamlined; the 6128 and the 5820 committees worked jointly on programs to serve the entire community.

The materials in this collection include records documenting the history of the YWCA of Germantown, including activities, administration, financial records, photographs, and special events.

This collection is arranged into 5 series:

• Series 1: Accession 280, 1903-1971
• Subseries 1.1: Board of Directors, 1914-1968
• Subseries 1.2: Administration, 1918-1971
• Subseries 1.3: Membership, 1917-1970
• Subseries 1.4: Correspondence, 1920-1970
• Subseries 1.5: Personnel, 1903-1970
• Subseries 1.6: Finances, 1913-1968
• Subseries 1.7: Building Use and Maintenance, 1911-1968
• Subseries 1.8: Labor Relations, 1939-1971
• Subseries 1.9: Statistical Reports, 1919-1968
• Subseries 1.10: Public Relations, 1920-1971
• Subseries 1.11: Department, 1916-1970
• Subseries 1.12: Branches, 1917-1960, undated
• Subseries 1.13: Camp Tinicum, 1927-1948, undated
• Subseries 1.14: National Board of YWCA, 1922-1969
• Subseries 1.15: Coordinating Agencies, 1919-1968
• Subseries 1.16: Outside Agencies, 1917-1967
• Subseries 1.17: Scrapbooks, 1918-1960
• Subseries 1.18: Paper Clippings, 1944-1965, undated
• Series 2: Accession 877, 1783-1991
• Subseries 2.1: Administration, 1785-1973
• Subseries 2.2: Correspondence, 1962-1972
• Subseries 2.3: Financial, 1919-1991
• Subseries 2.4: Activities 1945-1968
• Subseries 2.5: Colored Branch, 1869, 1932-1944
• Subseries 2.6: Other Branches, 1913-1916, 1935
• Subseries 2.7: Books, 1916-1947, undated
• Subseries 2.8: Oversize Materials, 1873-1974
• Series 3: PC-46, 1914-1966, undated
• Series 4: PC-89, circa 1913-1960s
• Series 5: Accession 918, 1846-1926

Accession 280 was deposited by Claire Herbert, Executive Director, in November 1976. Accession 877 was donated by Claire Herbert, Interim Executive Director, in February 1998. Photographs from PC-46 were originally received as part of the Young Men's Christian Association (Philadelphia, Pa.), Germantown Branch Records (Acc. 260). Accession 918 was donated by Claire Herbert, Executive Director, in 1998.

Original audiovisual materials, as well as preservation and duplicating masters, may not be played. Researchers must consult use copies, or if none exist must pay for a use copy. Please contact the Special Collections Research Center for more information.

Funds to process these records were provided by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Photographs were previously removed and processed as two separate photograph collections; finding aids were combined and revised according to contemporary archival standards in 2013 by Katy Rawdon, Coordinator of Technical Services. Finding aid was revised according to contemporary archival standards in July 2015 by Patrick Stalter, student worker.

Use

The Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.), Germantown Branch Records are the physical property of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. The creator/donor [has/has not] assigned their rights to Temple University Libraries. Other creators' intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to them or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.

Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.), Germantown Branch Records, Acc. 877, 280, PC-46, PC-89, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Publisher

Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center

Sponsor

Funds to process these records were provided by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Finding aids author

Machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan, Sky Global Services India (P) Ltd.

Date

September 2024

Subject

African American women -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

Associations, institutions, etc. -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

Women -- Services for -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

Young Women's Christian associations

Organization

Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.). Germantown Branch

Place

Germantown (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Philadelphia (Pa.)

Language

English

Form

16mm (photographic film size)

Administrative records

Architectural drawings

Books

Bylaws (administrative records)

Clippings

Correspondence

Financial records

Ledgers (account books)

Legal documents

Membership lists

Minutes (administrative records)

Newsletters

Photographs

Publications (documents)

Reports

Scrapbooks

Slides