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HISTORY OF SQUAWS, INC.

In early 1950, LaVera Edwards Hord contacted a group of young Pittsburgh matrons and suggested that they get together one evening a month, if possible, to socialize and catch up with the news in and about Pittsburgh. The majority of them were friends and/or acquaintances who had recently become brides or new mothers within that decade and contacts with each other were limited because of family responsibilities, child bearing rearing, or settling in another location. Because the ladies generally gathered very late in the evening, they jokingly referred to themselves as "The Midnighters."

As their children became older, they decided to formally organize and select a name for themselves. Each person could, if she so desired, submit a name for consideration by the group. When all names were in and a vote taken, "Squaws" was the winner; thus, the Squaws were born.

During the 1950's, the Squaws gave a donation to a large family in Pittsburgh, whose house and all possessions had been destroyed by fire. From that small gesture of extending a helping hand, the club decided to continue to serve the community in other small ways. With this in mind, they later contributed, among other things, to the Maurice Stokes Foundation - Maurice was a nationally known professional basketball player and a local boy who had been stricken by an incurable disease.

The Pittsburgh Squaws began to increase their membership and by early 1960 they had grown to 20 members and had become quite popular in the Pittsburgh area and reognized for the outstanding social events they sponsored.

It was during this period that Betty Watkins, one of the two original "Midnighters" and still active in Squaws, proposed to the club that they apply for a charter and work toward the goal of organizing chapters in other cities. At a meeting in September, 1961, at the home of Betty Watkins, a vote was taken and passed to apply for a charter for the Pittsburgh Squaws; two dissenting votes were cast - Johnnie Matthews and Mary Shelton. Application for a charter was made and subsequently granted to the Pittsburgh Squaws in July 1962.


The first achievement of the Pittsburgh Squaws was to broaden their scope of civic participation which resulted in being numbered among the early lifetime club membership in the NAACP.

The Squaws began to work toward acquiring sister chapters in other cities and in 1964, Rachel Smart, sister of Laura Stewart of the Pittsburgh Chapter, gathered together a group of interested women in Philadelphia, Pa. and in June of that year, the Pittsburgh Squaws traveled to Philadelphia to install their first chapter. Rachel Smart was their first president.

The first group of Cleveland, Ohio women into Squaws, Inc. was installed in October 1966; the contact persons for that group were a number of Pittsburgh members who urged Bernice Thompson, a former Pittsburgher, to organize a Cleveland chapter with Pittsburgh chapter as a sponsor. Palestine Zellars was elected their first president. This group was dissolved in the fall of 1969.

Detroit, Michigan was our third chapter. June Richards, cousin of Betty Watkins of the Pittsburgh chapter, was responsible for the organization of the Detroit chapter; installation took place in September 1967. Pittsburgh was the sponsoring chapter and Helen Lothery the first president of the Detroit group.

With the acquisition of four chapters, Pittsburgh hostessed the First National Biennial Conclave in July 1968 at the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel. Rebecca Hairston, member of the Pittsburgh Chapter was the first National President and presided at the conclave. Attendance was: Philadelphia Chapter-8 members; Cleveland Chapter-8 members; Detroit Chapter-6 members; Pittsburgh-20 members. The National Project was the Legal Fund of the NAACP-$200.00 was donated to that cause by the four chapters.

The year 1970 was a tremendously hectic and busy year for Squaws, Inc. Four new chapters were accepted and our Second National Biennial Conclave was held. In June 1970, Benton Harbor, Michigan was installed. Clair Butler, Detroit Chapter member, contacted Magnolia Westfield of Benton Harbor and the result was the formation of the Benton Harbor Chapter with Detroit the sponsoring chapter, Magnolia Westfield was their first president.

In July 1970, Philadelphia hostessed the Second Annual Biennial Conclave with headquarters at the Warwick Hotel. All Squaws were saddened by the death of Jessie Hoover, General Conclave Chairman and member of the Philadelphia Chapter. She became ill during the planning for the conclave. Again four chapters were represented: Pittsburgh, Detroit, Benton Harbor, and Philadelphia. Attendance had increased to 60; for the second year the Legal Fund of the NAACP was the national project and the sum of $500.00 was contributed by the four chapters. Helen Lothery was elected as the new National President.

After the July Conclave, three new chapters were installed by the end of the year. Some of the members from the original Cleveland group had complied with the provisions as set forth by the Executive Board for re-organization and acceptance into Squaws, Inc., so in mid-October 1970, the second group of women in Cleveland were installed as the Greater Cleveland Chapter; however, later they changed their name to NEO (Northeastern Ohio) Chapter of Squaws because of a state technicality. Mattie Hill and Thelma Williams played important roles in guiding the new group back into the national organization. Thelma Williams became the reorganized group's first president.

June Richards remained energetic and continued to work hard for new chapters. This time she contacted Carlene Danner of Toledo, Ohio who brought together 12 interested women in Toledo; at the end of October 1970, they were welcomed into Squaws, Inc., sponsored by the Detroit Chapter. Their first president was Carlene Danner.

June Richards then approached Lillian Alexander of Charlotte, North Carolina in reference to Squaws, Inc., and in the required length of time, the Charlotte Chapter became our first Southern group (November 1970) with Detroit the sponsoring chapter and Bettye McLaurin at the helm as first president.

Quincey Eaves of Durham, North Carolina contacted Bettye McLaurin of the Charlotte Chapter  for information concerning Squaws, Inc. Subsequently in April 1972, the Durham Chapter came into the Squaw tribe with Charlotte as the sponsoring chapter. Durham's first president was Patricia Hill.

In July 1972, Detroit played hostess to the Third National Biennial Conclave at the St. Regis Hotel in Detroit. By this time there were eight chapters of Squaws and 105 members attended the Conclave. The National Project for the first time with Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, to which $1000.00 was contributed. Helen Lothery was re-elected National President and the SOTY (Squaw of the Year) Awards were created and presented. Detroit members recognized all the charter members of the founding chapter by giving them charms.

Two new chapters were installed in 1973 - Dallas/Fort Worth,

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