American West Indian Ladies Aid Society Collection

Links

• View catalog record

Creator

American West Indian Ladies Aid Society.

Location

Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division

Extent

• 1.4 linear ft. (1 archival box, 1 flat box)

Scope/Contents Note

The American West Indian Ladies Aid Society (AWILAS) Collection contains documentation and correspondence from 1915 to 1965 (bulk dates 1924-1939). The collection is fragmentary in content making it difficult to determine the actual transition of officers and other organizationalactivities, the exception being sick and death claim requests and payments. There are also some financial and medical records and related correspondence, minutes, a fewmembership applications, and a folder of printed material,consisting of tickets, raffles, flyers, programs, invitations to events hosted by different organizations, Communist Party literature, bulletins, commercial solicitations and political literature.

Biographical/Historical Notes

The American West Indian Ladies Aid Society, Inc. (AWILAS),a benevolent society, was founded in 1915 by Virgin Islandimmigrant women in the United States for the purpose of fostering "love, fraternity and benevolence "among all women of the Virgin Islands." All female Virgin Islanders were eligible for membership.

In addition to providing burial and medical funds to their members, AWILAS also gave assistance in other area'ssuch as education, as a means of uplifting the "Negro culture" to a higher standard. According to a resolution in their by-laws, an ultimate goal was to join forces withother Virgin Island societies and collectively put monies into a sinking fund to buy land or property.

Following the recorded minutes of April 28th, 1936, AWILAS appears to have merged with The Sons and Daughters of Florida Club, a benevolent society which was founded in1932.

Controlled Access Terms

• American West Indian Ladies Aid Society.
• Women in charitable work -- New York (State) -- New York.
• West Indians -- New York (State) -- New York.
• Fraternal organizations -- New York (State) -- New York.
• Blacks -- New York (State) -- New York.
• Minorities -- United States -- Political activity.
• Immigrants -- United States -- Social conditions.
• Women, Black -- New York (State) -- Societies and clubs.
• Women -- New York -- Societies and clubs.
• Communism -- United States.
• Charitable uses, trusts, and foundations.

Additional Creator Name

• Sons and Daughters of Florida Club.