Young Women's Christian Association. Southwest-Belmont Branch (Philadelphia, Pa.)

The Southwest-Belmont Branch of the Y.W.C.A. traces its origins back to 1870, when a group of black women formed the Colored Women's ChristianAssociation. In 1912, this organization affiliated with the Philadelphia Y.W.C.A. as the Southwest Branch, otherwise known as the "Catherine Street 'Y.'"

Perhaps the oldest black Y.W.C.A. branch in the United States, the Southwest Branch, and later the Southwest-Belmont Branch following a merger with the Belmont Y.W.C.A. in the 1930s, served as an important social and recreational center for Philadelphia's black community in addition to sponsoring civil rights and political activities. Its leadership in the Philadelphia black community is evidenced by its hosting of such events as the National Negro Congress in the 1930s and the stature of its members in groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (N.A.A.C.P.), the Urban League and the Pennsylvania Child Labor Association. The Southwest-Belmont Y.W.C.A. also provided assistance to black women seeking jobs and, following a gift from John Wanamaker, the branch operated the Elizabeth Frye House to help black women coming to Philadelphia find a place to stay.

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