Since our founding in Philadelphia in January 1938, Jack and Jill of America, Inc. has grown into a strong national organization. The story of its growth is one of amity and felicity. The idea of bringing together 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 of mothers, became an inter-city association. Enthusiasm and interest in Jack and Jill spread westward, after four successful years in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington. In 1944 a chapter was formed in Pittsburgh. Between 1944 and June 1946, Jack and Jill groups expanded to ten with the addition of the following chapters: Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Buffalo, New York; Columbus, Ohio; Durham, North Carolina and Memphis, Tennessee.

Mrs. Dorothy Wright, who was president of the Philadelphia Club at this time, felt that Jack and Jill had reached a point when consideration of organizing these groups into a national organization was indicated.

“The Philadelphia Chapter voted unanimously to call a meeting to bring these groups together into a national body when the formation of such was presented in my program for the year 1945-46. With this support of my chapter and with the encouragement of the clubs established or being formed, invitations were sent to these ten groups for participation in a meeting to be held June 1, 1946, in Philadelphia.”

June 1, 1946, the birth date of the national organization, brought together representatives of eight of the ten groups present – Philadelphia, New York, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Columbus, Baltimore and Boston. The purpose and aims were set forth and they voted to formulate plans for a national organization, subject to the approval of their respective groups. Committees were set up – Constitution, Time and Place, and Nomination. Plans for incorporating were discussed. After a day of working – planning and discussing – the representatives were guests of the Philadelphia Chapter at a banquet where the new officers were installed – Dorothy B. Wright, President; Emilie Pickens, Vice President; Edna Seay, Secretary-Treasurer; Constance Bruce, Corresponding Secretary; Marion Stubbs, Journalist. Because of limited funds, the roster of officers was kept at a minimum to curtail traveling expenses to the national meetings. (Report from Dorothy B. Wright, Organizer and First National President of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. to Burma Whitted, National Program Director, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 10, 1958.)