ABSTRACT HUMANITIES GUILLORY, DELORES D. B.A. PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY, 2005 M.A. PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERISTY, 2006 CHARTING THE UNSUNG LEGACY OF TWO ATLANTA, GEORGIA AFRICAN- AMERICAN WOMEN’S SOCIAL ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS Committee Chair: Timothy Askew, Ph.D. Dissertation dated August 2018 This study examines the pathways of two Atlanta, Georgia African-American women social activists, Dorothy Lee Bolden Thompson and Ruby Parks Blackburn, and their respective organizations, two unsung heroes that some history books failed to give the proper recognition that they so deserved. It encompasses the challenges, civic work, social justice, and efforts as they emerged as social activists. Additionally, this study is based on the premise that these noteworthy Southern African-American women’s social activist organizations, The Georgia League of Negro Women Voters as founded by Ruby Parks Blackburn and the National Domestic Union established by Dorothy Lee Bolden made a major impact in the Atlanta area. Although they were both from two totally different lifestyles, it is without a doubt that these two fearless women originators of very i successful organizations were instrumental in joining together African-American citizens of Atlanta Georgia. ii CHARTING THE UNSUNG LEGACY OF TWO ATLANTA, GEORGIA AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN’S SOCIAL ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENTS OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DOCTOR OF ARTS IN HUMANITIES BY DELORES D. GUILLORY HUMANITIES ATLANTA, GEORGIA AUGUST 2018 © 2018 DELORES D. GUILLORY All Rights Reserved ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First I give all praises and honor to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of my Faith. Special thanks go to Bishop Jonathan and Dr. Antoinette Alvarado and my Grace Church International family for prayers of strength and endurance. “To God Be The Glory.” I express my deepest gratitude to my mother, Delores Williams Franklin. Her spiritual advice and guidance is an inspiration in my life. I also thank my sons, Reginald Wayne Guillory and Bruce Wayne Guillory II, and my niece, Martina’ Franklin for being my biggest cheerleaders and reminding me that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Gratitude goes to my best friend and Christian sister, Pamela Jones who, through the years, reminds me to “Trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding.” I would like to express extreme gratefulness and appreciation to Dr. Tim Askew, chair of my committee, for his words of encouragement and guidance throughout the process. He became my motivating rescuer upon the passing of my beloved mentor, Dr. Josephine Bradley. Special appreciation goes to Dr. Karamo Barrow who started me on my journey at Clark Atlanta University. Words cannot explain the appreciation for my mentor, Dr. Josephine Bradley, who encouraged me to never give up. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... viii ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................... ix DEFINITION OF TERMS ..................................................................................................x CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem ......................................................................................2 Conceptual Framework .........................................................................................8 Methodology .......................................................................................................13 Research Questions .............................................................................................14 Significance of the Study ....................................................................................14 Chapter Organization ..........................................................................................16 Limitations ..........................................................................................................16 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ....................................................................17 Social Movements ...............................................................................................17 The Women’s Social Movement ........................................................................19 Primary Roles......................................................................................................24 Gender Issues ......................................................................................................28 Race, Class, Gender, and the Domestic Worker as “Other” ...............................31 Domestic Work as Contract Work and Unionization .........................................35 Unionization and Domestic Service....................................................................36 iv CHAPTER Domestic Workers’ Views about Their Work ....................................................37 III. THE HISTORY ..................................................................................................38 The 1906 Atlanta Riot.........................................................................................41 Black Disenfranchisement ..................................................................................63 Atlanta Negro Voters League .............................................................................65 John Wesley Dobbs.............................................................................................65 A. T. Walden .......................................................................................................68 Social Classes......................................................................................................72 Social Activist Organizations .............................................................................75 National Association of Colored Women ...........................................................76 National Federation of African-American Women ............................................77 National League of Colored Women ..................................................................78 The Atlanta Washerwomen’s Strike ...................................................................78 The Neighborhood Union ...................................................................................81 Civil Rights Movement .......................................................................................86 IV. THE ORGANIZATIONS AND FOUNDERS ...................................................95 Dorothy Lee Bolden Thompson..........................................................................95 Community Activist ..........................................................................................102 Politics...............................................................................................................104 The National Domestic Workers of America ...................................................105 Maids Honor Day ..............................................................................................112 Service...............................................................................................................113 v CHAPTER Advocacy ..........................................................................................................114 Ruby Parks Blackburn ......................................................................................118 Georgia Blackburn Jones ..................................................................................121 Georgia League of Negro Women Voters ........................................................122 Eight Stages of the Process of Social Movement .............................................126 Summary ...........................................................................................................128 V. CONCLUSION .................................................................................................129 Major Findings ..................................................................................................130 Comparisons .....................................................................................................135 Georgia League of Negro Women Voters ..............................................135 National Domestic Workers of America ..................................................136 Recommendation ..............................................................................................137 APPENDIX A. The Sons and Daughters of Dorothy Lee Bolden Thompson ........................138 B. Letter to the Georgia League of Negro Women Voters, Inc. from Executive Members ...............................................................................139 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................141 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. The Eight Stages of the Process of Social Movement .............................................19 vii LIST OF TABLES Table 1. The Significance