Chapter History 2

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Atlanta Chapter History.

The Atlanta Chapter was organized in February of 1951 through the effort of Mrs. Elizabeth
Macomson, a teacher at Spelman College. An Albany chapter member suggested to her that
our city should establish this mother’s organization. Initially, it was a small group of mothers that
were affiliated with the various schools in the Atlanta University Center Consortium. Mrs. Helen
Bell Robinson Brooks, a colleague, invited the group to organize in her home at 988 Westmoor
Drive.
By installation time on September 16, 1951, there were 34 mothers in the Atlanta Chapter of
Jack and Jill. The following were the first officers: Elizabeth Macomson, president; Mrs. Mexico
Mickelbury, secretary; Mrs. Helen Bell Robinson Brooks, treasurer; Mrs. Jewel Simon and Toki
Connally, co-chairmen of program committee, Mrs. Alice Holmes Washington reporter to the
national organization, and Mrs. Johnnie Yancey, chairman of the membership committee.
The first members were as follows: Ernestine Brazeal, Miriam Burney, Harriet Chisholm,
Ernestine Comer, Billie Davis, Grace DeLorme, Louis Eagleson, Jacqueline Frye, Sadie Gaines,
Ann Graves, Gertrude Hackney, Marge Harper, Freddye Henderson, Dorthea Hill, Juliette
Jackson, Ruth Jackson, Betty Boyd Mapp, Gladys Powell, Marion Scott, Ruth Scott, Clara
Singleton, Juanita Smith, Lavada Smith, Helen Westerfield, Virginia Whatley, Beatrice Williams
and Irene Wilson.
Mrs. Elizabeth Seay of Buffalo, New York, national president of Jack and Jill of America for that
year, flew in for the installation as she was touring recently established chapters in the south.
Mrs. Seay stressed the “value emotional stability and security play in developing healthy and
happy children” that would become the parents of tomorrow.
A founder, Helen Robinson Brooks, stated that finding activities for the children that were
entertaining, educational, and mind grabbing was a real challenge for the mothers. The Atlanta
Chapter children were the first Black children to participate in a then-popular WSB-TV puppet
show called “Woody Willow.” Activity was a key word for the children who participated in
swimming, basketball, softball and other seasonal sports on Saturdays at the YMCA. There
were monthly meetings with dramatics, soap carving, sewing, dancing, music and games.
By the middle and late 1950s, the chapter mothers and children were established in charity
projects. During this period, the children sent woolen mittens to needy children in a foreign
country selected by the American Friends Committee. They carried gifts to hospitalized children.
The project of the year for the mothers was an Annual Charity Ball to raise money for multiple

selected charities. The mothers participated in the Polio March, and they adopted needy
families.
While the 1950s represents the genesis of the Atlanta Chapter’s increased involvement in the
Atlanta community through charitable projects, the Chapter’s involvement in the community did
not end there. For the decades to follow, the Chapter has been heavily entrenched in the
Atlanta community serving the city in times of peace and strife.
The Atlanta Chapter developed a community service program that reflects its mission of service.
The committee is responsible for overseeing a series of activities focusing in four main areas:
Women’s Health, Children’s Health, The Environment and Underprivileged Youth. By focusing
our efforts in these areas, the Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill is positioned to positively impact
and improve the lives of those we serve in the Metro Atlanta community. As such, we have been
fortunate to support many charitable organizations, including The East Lake Foundation,
Raising Expectations, American Cancer Society, Trees Atlanta, Cool Girls, the March of Dimes,
the Ronald McDonald House Charity, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Center for Civil and
Human Rights, Foreverfamily, Solomon’s Temple, Carrie Steele-Pitts Home, C.H.O.I.C.E.S.,
and Telic Empowerment.
For the past four years, the Atlanta Chapter has been the top non-family team for the
Atlanta March for Babies event and the top fundraiser for March of Dimes among all
chapters within Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Setting the gold standard for philanthropy
within the organization, the Atlanta Chapter raised over $30,000 in both 2018 and 2019.
The members of the Atlanta Chapter conceptualized the signature social event Bold Lips + Bow
Ties, a chic and highly experiential adult day party—with a purpose. This much-anticipated
event was first held during the Fall of 2016 and is now back for a fourth year, raising
approximately $100,000 last year in donations for the Jack and Jill Foundation and selected
local charities.
In addition to our charitable engagement, we maintain a significant partnership with the Atlanta
University Center, exposing our children to the history, unique offerings and intellectual power of
Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University.
Due to the rich legacy of the City of Atlanta, the Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill is humbled and
fortunate to have close ties to the nation’s civil rights history. For decades, the Chapter has
welcomed into its membership family members of known civil rights leaders. The Atlanta
Chapter has been home to members of the Abernathy, King, Jackson and Young families, who
represent leadership from the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the first and second African-

American mayors of the City of Atlanta. The Holmes family also shares in this rich legacy of
breaking racial barriers with the integration of two universities. Many of the families have
spanned several generations of active membership. The willingness of each family member to
share their individual stories has proven to be a valuable asset to the Chapter through the
years, helping to instill pride in the accomplishments of African-Americans in this nation’s
history.
In 2017, Atlanta chapter member Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected the 60th Mayor of Atlanta.
She is the city’s second female mayor.
The Atlanta Chapter has had several members serve in leadership positions at the national and
regional levels of Jack and Jill. Dr. Miriam C. Shropshire was the elected 9th National President
of Jack and Jill from 1970-74. Marjorie Belton was a Regional Director. In addition, Marjorie
Mitchell served as Regional Secretary Treasurer and Regional Director. Most recently,
Rebecca Paschal Young served as Regional Treasurer from 2017-2019.
The Atlanta Chapter continues to meet the aims of the national organization by providing
experiences that aid mothers to learn more about their children by careful study. Through our
community service projects, we seek to offer all children the same advantages that we desire for
our own. We have extended our programming to include activities that take into consideration
children with different abilities and that support the following curricular areas:
African American History and Culture
Leadership Development
Community Service
Civic Awareness and Responsibility
Life Management Skills
Health, Nutrition & Fitness
Fine Arts Appreciation
Finance and Economics
Career Development
This curriculum allows us to meet the national guidelines and extend it for the focused
development of our young people.

The first members

"A little about our founding members"

The first members were as follows- Betty Boyd Mapp, Ernestine Brazeal, Miriam Burney, Harriet Chisholm, Ernestine Comer, Billie Davis, Grace DeLorme, Louis Eagleson, Jacqueline Frye, Sadie Gaines, Ann Graves, Gertrude Hackney, Marge Harper, Freddye Henderson, Dorthea Hill, Juliette Jackson, Ruth Jackson, Gladys Powell, Ruth Scott, Marion Scott, Clara Singleton, Juanita Smith, Lavada Smith, Helen Westerfield, Virginia Whatley, Beatrice Williams and Irene Wilson.

Mrs. Elizabeth Seay of Buffalo, New York, national president of the Jack and Jill of America for that year, flew in for the installation, as she was touring recently established chapters in the south. Mrs. Seay stressed the “value emotional stability and security play, in developing healthy and happy children” that would become the parents of tomorrow.





A founder, Helen Robinson Brooks stated recently that finding activities for the children that were entertaining, education and mind grabbing was a real challenge for the mothers. The Atlanta chapter children were the first Black children to participate in a then popular WSB-TV puppet shower called “Woody Willow”. Activity was a key word for the children who swam, played basketball, softball and other seasonal sports on Saturdays at the UYMCA. There were monthly meetings with dramatics, soap carving, sewing, dancing music and games.

By the middle and late 1950’s, the chapter mothers and children were established in charity projects. During this period the children sent woolen mittens to needy children in a foreign country selected by the American Friends Committee. They carried gifts to hospitalized children. The project of the year for the mothers was an Annual Charity Ball to raise mothers. The mothers participated in the Polio March, and they adopted needy families.

programming.

Nearly sixty years later in 2010, the Atlanta chapter continues to meet the aims of the national organization by providing experiences that aid mothers to learn more about their children by careful study. Through our community service projects we seek to offer all children the same advantages, which we desire for our own. We have extended our programming to include activities, which support the following curricular areas:


1- African American History and Culture

2- Leadership Development

3- Community Service

4- Civic Awareness and Responsibility

5- Life Management Skills

6- Health, Nutrition & Fitness

7- Fine Arts Appreciation

8- Finance and Economics

9- Career Development


This curriculum allows us to meet the national guidelines and extend it for the focused development of our young people.

Past Presidents.

Since installation in 1951, the following persons have served as President of the Atlanta Chapter:

ELIZABETH HEMBREE MACOMSON, FOUNDING PRESIDENT, SEPTEMBER 16, 1951

Jewel Woodard Simon
1951-
Betty Boyd Mapp
1950’s
Ruth Scott Simmons1960’s
Alice Washington
1962-1963
Evarie (Rhee) Thompson
1966-1967
Miriam Shropshire (National President 1970-74)
1967-1968(?)
Patricia Martin Cannon
1968-1969
Roseland Days
1969-1971
Edith Ross
1971-1972
Margaret Nixon Smith
1972-1973
Revonia Radden Bryant
1973-1975
Myrtle Reid Davis
1975-1977
Burnella Jackson Ranson
1977-1979
Geraldine Calloway Gilliam
1979-1981
Michelle Redwine
1981-1982
Yvonne Jackson Wiltz
1982-1984
Sharon Martin
1984-1985
Patricia Washington Clement
1985-1986
Pamela Robinson
1986-1988
Dorothy Cowser Yancy
1988-1990
Jeanne Cain Atkins
1990-1992
Reinetta Thompson Waldrop
1992-1993
Marcia Spiller
1993-1995
Linda Jones
1995-1997
Patrice Perkins-Hooker
1997-1999
Marjorie Belton
1999-2001
Sarah Lattimer
2001-2003
Alfreda Mayes
2003-2005
Marjorie Mitchell
2005-2009
Patrice Brown Greer
2009-2011
Rebecca Paschal Young
2011-2015
Hillary Scarborogh Dunson
2015-2017
Elizabeth "Libby" Wright
2017-2018
Nicole Lawson Jenkins
2018

Special thanks to the following persons who helped provide the original information and memories of the early chapter years: Mrs. Helen Bell Robinson Brooks, Mrs. Alice Washington, Mrs. Beatrice Williams, Mrs. Miriam Shropshire, and Mrs. Barbara Newton.