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From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues

National Federation of Afro-American Women

Formed in 1895, the National Federation of Afro-American Women (NFAAW) was organized “to teach an ignorant and suspicious world that our [black women’s] aims are identical with those of all good aspiring women.” African American leader Josephine Ruffin wrote those words as part of her call to create a group to counter a journalist’s assertion that black women were “prostitutes, thieves, and liars.” Ruffin called on African American women to work together to teach the world the truth. Twenty clubs founded the NFAAW, a number that grew to 36 clubs from 12 states.

In the call to the organization’s first convention, the president, Mrs. Booker T. Washington, wrote: “Many clubs have been organized, and the Federation greatly strengthened. The poor mothers, out on the plantations of the far South have been reached, and they will speak in no uncertain tones at our coming convention.”

The NFAAW merged with the Colored Women’s League in 1896 to form the National Association of Colored Women.

See also: Colored Women’s League; National Association of Colored Women

References: Hine and Thompson, A Shining Thread of Hope: The History of Black Women in America (1998); Using Essex History, http://www.usingessexhistory.org/primarydocuments/Jim%20Crow%20Sources/BPL/Manuscripts%20&%20Rare%20Books%20Dept/Conference%20Nat.%20Fed.%20of%20AA%20Women.PDF (accessed March 14, 2012).

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MLA 9th
"National Federation Of Afro-American Women." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, edited by Suzanne O’Dea, Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0686.
APA 7th
National Federation of Afro-American Women. From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, In S. O’Dea (Ed.), Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0686.
CMOS 17th
"National Federation Of Afro-American Women." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, Edited by Suzanne O’Dea. Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0686.