Activities Among Negroes
The leading colored women of San Francisco and their activities are herewith presented to the reading public. Mrs. Irene B. Ruggles is president of California State Federation of Colored Women's clubs. She has during her residence in this city taken an active part in every movement for the uplift of her race. She is a native of Long Branch, New Jersey, coming to California in 1905 as a ward of Mr. and Mrs. Charles King of Los Angeles. Since her marriage she has lived in San Francisco, where in 1914 she became a charter member in organizing the San Francisco Women's (colored) club. Later the Madam C. J. Walker club [Madam C. J. Walker] was organized, and she again was not only a charter member, but was elected its first president. The work of this club was to secure a home in San Francisco for colored working girls.
It was through Mrs. Ruggles that the Martha Ann Wilson Memorial club was organized in San Francisco. This club is the first of its kind in the state. Mrs. Ruggles was elected its first president. The club is named in honor of one of California's pioneer colored women, who at the time of her death was the oldest Federated club woman in the state. This club has been organized less than three years, during which time it has installed a memorial art glass window in Bethel A. M. E. church in memory of Martha Ann Wilson. The club also placed an aged colored woman in the Old People's home in Beula, California, paying all charges for her life residence in the home.
MRS. IRENE RUGGLES,
president of the California State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs.
Mrs. Tulip Jones, another San Francisco colored club woman, came to the state in 1914 from Denver. She was elected vice-president of the Booker T. Washington club. This club established a civic or community center for colored people with a reading room and social hall. For the past four years she has served as president for the Madam C. J. Walker club home. During that time, through her efforts and a united working club, the home has been paid for and furnished. It is located at 2066 Pine street, San Francisco, and is a three-story house with accommodations for ten girls,
The superintendent of this home is Mrs. C. D. Taylor, who has a record for efficiency. Previous to coming to California she taught school in the east for fifteen years. After the death of her husband, Attorney Walter R. Taylor of Los Angeles, she accepted the position as superintendent of the Sojourner Truth home club for colored working girls in that city.
The Saint Phillips' Episcopal church of Los Angeles is conducting a drive to raise money to purchase a lot on which to build a new and larger church. They are holding a colored merchants' exposition from November 24 to December 1. This exposition is being held on the new lot located at Twenty-fifth street and Central avenue, Los Angeles.
The Community Get Acquainted club of Oakland held its first birthday party last Thursday evening in the parlors of the Linden street branch Y. W. C. A. A good program was rendered after which refreshments were served.
The greatest social event in the history of the colored race in America occurred Saturday, November 24, at noon in Saint Phillips' Episcopal church in New York City, at which time Dr. H. Gordon Jackson of Chicago was united in marriage to Miss Mate Walker Robinson of New York. Dr. Jackson is the grandson of the late Henry Gordon, Miss Robinson is the granddaughter of the late Madam C. J. Walker of New York.
In regard to Abyssinia or Ethiopia, mentioned in a recent article in this column, the following is quoted from the Negro Year Book by Monroe N. Work in which he has said: "The empire of Abyssinia or Ethiopia is made up of the kingdoms of Tigre and Lasta in the northeast, Amhara and Gojam in the west center; Shoa in the south, and territories and dependencies as far as Kaffa in the south, and Harar in the southeast. The area is 350,000 square miles. The population is estimated to be 8,000,000. Abyssinia is a very ancient country. There is much evidence of early intercourse with the Jews. When the first European explorers came into the country, they found the inhabitants chanting the psalms of David. Tradition is that here is the kingdom of the Queen of Sheba, and that the rulers of the country can trace their descendants from Menelink, son of king Solomon, and the Queen of Sheba. Christianity was introduced into the country by Frumentius. The Abyssian church, while having relations with the Coptic church, is practically independent,
Rev. G. M. Sushuba and wife from Africa gave an illustrated lecture Monday evening at Beth Eden Baptist church. He sang in his native tongue.
