National History

The late Marion Stubbs Thomas founded Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, on January 24, 1938, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Twenty mothers came together to discuss creating an organization to provide social, cultural and educational opportunities for youth between the ages of 2 and 19. As a result of the meeting of those twenty mothers in Philadelphia,the idea of bringing together the children in a social and cultural relationship spread to New York City where a similar organization was started in 1939.The third club was formed in March 1940, in Washington, DC. Thus,Jack and Jill, which began as a local group, became an inner-city association. In 1946, 10 chapters were involved in the national restructuring process. The constitution and bylaws were drawn up, and the organization was incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware.

In 1968 the Jack and Jill of America Foundation was established because the organization felt that monies given to charity must be channeled in a way to most effectively eliminate the contemporary obstacles that confront Blacks in society. Chapters pledged their support of the Foundation, as well as instituting programs on the local level to raise the consciousness of their children.The years brought about the adoption of national themes geared toward satisfying the Foundation of our family structure.The Jack and Jill of America Foundation is a (501) (c) (3) corporation that sponsors and supports education, literary, scientific and charitable projects to enhance the lives of children and families in the communities it serves.

Since 1938, Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated has evolved into a strong national organization as a result of strong programming. Our founder, Marion Stubbs Thomas, had a simple idea of bringing together children in social and cultural relationships, and this idea avalanched into a strong national organization. Our story of growth is one of amity and felicity. As new members are welcomed and new chapters are formed, the aims and ideals of Jack and Jill have strengthened, always with our children and civic service as the focal points.

“To us as mothers, Jack and Jill has become a means of furthering an inherent and natural desire… to bestow upon our children all the opportunities possible for a normal and graceful approach to a beautiful adulthood.”

— Marion Stubbs Thomas, Founder