Jack and Jill of America

Jack and Jill of America. A leadership organization formed during the Great Depression. African American mothers founded it in 1938 with the intention of bringing kids together in a social and cultural setting. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization aims to improve the quality of life of children, particularly African American children.

There are more than 230 Jack and Jill chapters in 35 states across the U.S., with more than 10,000 mother members and 40,000 parents and children.

In January 1938, Marion Stubbs Thomas, a woman of “mulatto” ancestry, organized a group of twenty-one mothers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to establish a social and cultural union for their children. The group included a number of Black Catholics, one of the largest religious groups in Philadelphia.