Women-in-Action for the Prevention of Violence and Its Causes, Inc. Durham Chapter (Durham, N.C.)

Non-profit, inter-racial organization founded in Durham, N.C. in September 1968. Mrs. Elna Spaulding was its founder and first president.

From the description of Records, 1968-1981, (bulk 1968-1972). (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 18666401

Founded by Elna B. Spaulding Sept. 4, 1968, shortly after a public appeal was made to women of the Durham, N.C., community to form a civic coalition of African American and white women from all levels of society to work toward the prevention of violence during the time of a "black buying boycott" and mounting tensions.

From the description of Records, 1968-1973. (North Carolina Division of Archives & Hist). WorldCat record id: 70956037

• 1968, August 21: Appeal made through Durham, NC press for women in the community to form a coalition to work toward the prevention of violence and its causes at the local level.
• 1968, September 4: First meeting; Asa T. Spaulding gave the opening address.
• 1969, July: Incorporated; obtained tax exempt status.
• 1970, July: Opened Center for School Support to provide information to parents, students, and citizens about school desegregation arrangements in Durham.
• 1970, Autumn: Sponsored "coffees," a workshop, and an open house before the beginning of school to help smooth the way for desegregation in Durham schools.
• 1970, October: Opened Problem Clearinghouse, one of WIAPVC's most successful programs, which offered information and referral services to Durham citizens for such problems as unemployment, drug abuse, unwanted pregnancies, need for medical care, and consumer difficulties.
• 1970: Received the George Washington Honor Medal Award for 1969 from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge in the category for community programs.
• 1970: Received the Distinguished Service Award of the Kiwanis International by the Kiwanis Club of Tobaccoland.
• 1970: Received the Carolinas Regional Citation from the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
• 1971, April 16 - 17 : Hosted statewide workshop for women's organizations to share their experiences and successes.
• 1971, November: Co-sponsored Call for Action, a telephone referral service, to direct citizens to proper sources for help with consumer and other problems.
• 1971: Named Citationist in the 1971 National Volunteer competition sponsored by the National Center for Voluntary Action.
• 1971: Raleigh and Wilmington Chapters founded.
• 1972, April: Co-sponsored a Human Relations Workshop with the North Carolina Department of Instruction, Human Relations Division, for parents of Durham school children.
• 1972: Sponsored first Durham drive to boycott military toys for children at Christmas.
• circa 1972: Received award from the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction for its service to the Durham community.
• 1973, February: Appealed to the Durham County Board of Commissioners for financial support.
• 1973, July: Women-In-Action Foundation of Durham, North Carolina, incorporated to receive funds for Women-In-Action for the Prevention of Violence and Its Causes, Inc., which did not have tax exempt status at that time.
• 1980, August: Women-In-Action Foundation of Durham, North Carolina, Inc. dissolved; Women-In-Action for the Prevention of Violence and Its Causes Inc. regained tax exempt status.
• 1988, September: Held 20th anniversary celebration.
• 2001: Grace Marsh becomes Executive Director.
• 2007, January: Death of founder and first president Elna Spaulding.
• 2010: Women In Action's Durham Mediation Center, established in 2005 and led by Grace Marsh, changed name to the Elna B. Spaulding Conflict Resolution Center in honor of Elna Spaulding.

The beginnings of the WIAPVC can be traced to July 1968, when Elna (Mrs. Asa T.) Spaulding was invited to attend a forum in New York City sponsored by the McCall Corporation in which women from all over the United States were asked to discuss the topic What Women Can Do to End Violence in America. Upon her return, Mrs. Spaulding founded Women-In-Action for the Prevention of Violence and its Causes, which was organized as an inter-racial, non-profit community organization. At the time WIAPVC was formed, Durham was in the midst of a black buying boycott, which was an effort on the part of blacks in the city to exert pressure on merchants to focus upon needs which they believed had been unmet. The new group was credited with helping open communication between the Black Solidarity Committee, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Merchants Association during the boycott. The early history of the WIAPVC is best documented in the correspondence and administrative files series of this collection. As the organization grew, it involved itself in economic assistance, community improvements, education issues, referral services, addictions and rape counseling, prisoner rehabilitation, and race relations in general. The organization was still in existence as of 2010.

From the guide to the Women-In-Action for the Prevention of Violence and Its Causes, Inc., Durham Chapter records, 1968-1998 and undated, (David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University)