.. national council of negro women 1318 Vermont Avenue, N.VI. 's-'—... Washington 5, D. C. #483

May 2, 1957

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Miss Dorothy C. Guinn Executive Director Columbia 5-4434 A Leaders Conference on Saturday, May 25, 1957 -will be one of the significant events of Mary McLeod Bethune Commemoration Week May 19 - 25,

1957 observed by the National Council of Negro Am omen in memory of the or­ ganizer and founder, the late Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune»

Women leaders from all sections of the United States have been in­ vited according to Mrs» William Thomas Mason, President of the National

Council of Negro Women to attend this all day Conference which meets in the Senate Caucus Room of the Capitol, Washington, D. C. to discuss the theme "Women and Politics”. Mrs. Marjorie McKenzie Lawson is Chairman of the program. The purpose of the 1957 Leadership Conference is to explore the po­

litical framework of the country as it relates to women, to discuss the

practical and necessary activities in political movements and to educate

and stimulate Negro Women to become more active in politics by participating

in local, state and national activities. Miss Bertha Adkins and Mrs.

Katie Louchheim will be keynote speakers at the morning session. A few of

the participants on the program, list at present incomplete, to serve as

panelists and consultants are: Miss Bertha Adkins, Assistant to the

Chairman, Republican National Committees John Blue, Executive Director,

American Council on Human Rights; Walter F. Dixon , City Council, Baltimore;

Mrs. Frances P. Douglas, Congregational Secretary, League of Women Voters;

Mrs» Elizabeth Drewry, Member, State Legislature, West Virginia; Dr. G.

James Fleming, Associate Professor of Political Science, Morgan State

College; Attorney Vi. Oliver Hill, Legal Council, National Legal Committee -2- and Virginia Legal Committee, NAACP; Miss Margaret Holmes, Democratic State

Committeewoman, New Jersey; Mrs. Katie Louchheim, Vice Chairman of the

Democratic National Committee and Director of Women's Activities; Clarence

Mitchell, Director, Washington Bureau, NAACP; Honorable Lenor Sullivan,

United States Congresswoman, Missouri; Mrs. Katie Mhickam, President,

National Beauty Culturists' League, Inc.; Mrs. Sadye Carter Williams,

New York State Republican Committee. Board members, local council leaders, representatives from National

Affiliates, women active in the Republican and Democratic Parties and

interested individuals will participate in the Leaders Conference of the

National Council of Negro Women Saturday, Nay 25, 1957, Washington, D. C.

*****

A special release has been received from the Ghana News Agency in

ACCRA Which states that Dr. Marguerite Cartwright recently delivered a

special message from the National Council of Negro Women in Washington to

the women of Ghana, extending warmest good wishes as they move forward into

a new life of National Independence. A statement from Mrs. William T. Mason, National President of the

Council, expresses the hope that a joint conference will be held with the

women of Africa and the National Council of Negro ’.omen within the next

two years to further mutual aspirations. *****

Mrs. William Thomas Mason, President of the National Council of

Negro Viomen has received a citation from the Lane Bryant Annual Awards in

recognition of outstanding community service for 1956 and is being con­ sidered for one'of these rational awards to be presented, November 14,1957

at the Hotel Pierre in New York.