Tallahasse Branch History

The Tallahassee Branch of the National Association of college Women was organized in February 1957. Mrs. Bernyce H. Clausell, as local teacher, was inspired by Mrs. Lucinda Fox Ward, a relative and friend of New York City, who was at the time the First Vice President of the national organization.

An informational meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Lillie B. Davis, an instructor at Florida A&M University, to introduce the women who attended to the purposes and the possibilities of the organization.

The thirteen women who attended the organizational meeting became the founding members.  They were:

Mrs. Selonia Blatch

Mrs. Bernyce Clausell

Mrs. Dorothy G. Holmes

Mrs. Mary Brooks

Mrs. Lillie B. Smith Davis

Mrs. M. Lucia James

Mrs. Marazine Brown

Mrs. W. Blanche Gavin

Mrs. Lucinda Lawrence

Mrs. Olivia P. Brown

Mrs. Millicent C. Holifield

Mrs. Lillie M. Ricks

A public recognition program was held one Sunday afternoon at Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church at which time the Rev. J. Metz Rollins, Minister of the Trinity Presbyterian Church, gave the address and Mrs. Mary Riley, who had been a member of a Branch before coming to Tallahassee, conducted the induction ceremony.

The organizer and first president was Mrs. Bernyce Clausell.  She gave enthusiastic leadership to developing a program that would perpetuate the purposes as espoused by the National Association of University Women and at the same time would fulfill a need for Black women of Tallahassee to be united and dedicated to constructive work in education, public and civic affairs, and human relations.

At the end of the first year and as the group celebrated its first anniversary, thirteen new members were inducted.  Membership and programs have continued to grow until the Branch has become one of the largest Branches of the national organization.