December 5, 1935 Mary McLeod Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women.

She founded it as an organization of organizations to represent the national and international concerns of black women. The organization’s mission is to “lead, develop, and advocate for women of African descent as they support their families and communities.”

They fulfill their mission through research, advocacy, and national and community based health, education, and economic empowerment services programs in the United States and Africa. Today, the NCNW is a council of 39 affiliated national African American women’s organizations connecting nearly 4 million women worldwide.