The Links

African-American women's organization

For other uses, see Link.

The Links

Founded| November 9, 1946; 78 years ago (1946-11-09)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Type| Service
Affiliation| Independent
Status| Active
Emphasis| African American women
Scope| International
Pillars| Friendship, Integrity, Honesty, Service, Commitment, Family Relationships, Courage, Respect for Self and Others, Legacy, Confidentiality, Responsibility, and Accountability
Colors|  Emerald Green and  White
Symbol| Globe of the world encircled by a chain
Flower| White rose
Chapters| 299
Members| 17,000+ lifetime
Headquarters| 1200 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
United States
Website| linksinc.org

The Links is an American social and service organization of prominent black women. It was founded in 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of 2025, it has 299 chapters and more than 17,000 members in the United States and other countries. Its members include Kamala Harris, Marian Wright Edelman, and Betty Shabazz.

## History

[edit]

The Links, Incorporated, a nonprofit corporation, originated in 1946 in Philadelphia when founders Sarah Strickland Scott and Margaret Roselle Hawkins saw the need for a new kind of inner-city women's organization.[1][2][3][4][5]: 102 They recruited the other founding members: Frances Atkinson, Katie Green, Marion Minton, Lillian Stanford, Myrtle Manigault Stratton, Lillian Wall, and Dorothy Wright.[1]

All of the founding members were members of prominent black professional families of Philadelphia; six were the wives of physicians and the seventh the wife of a bank president.[5]: 103 All had bachelor's or master's degrees from elite universities, and had been active in other Black social organizations. Most were members of St. Thomas Episcopal Church.[5]: 104

Chapters were established in Atlantic City, New Jersey; Baltimore Maryland; Central New Jersey; Petersburg, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Raleigh, North Carolina; Rocky Mount, North Carolina; St. Louis, Missouri; Tarboro, North Carolina; Wilmington, Delaware; and Wilson, North Carolina.[1] Delegates from these chapters meet for a national assembly on November 9, 1946 and officially established The Links.[1] Hawkins served as its first president.[1]

After the national assembly, members began contacting women in other cities to establish new chapters.[1] The organization was incorporated on March 28, 1951.[1][6] By 1952, it had 56 chapters.[3][5]: 105 The organization was involved in the Civil Rights movement and supported the work of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).[1] In 1958, The Links expanded its efforts to support youth services.[1]

Later changes included supporting education and health in of both African Americans Africans.[1] The group made its largest single donation in 1974— $132,000, to the United Negro College Fund to support historically Black colleges and universities.[1]

Over the decades, the group transformed itself from "a group of women married to influential men, to a group of women who became influential themselves", according to one member. The evolution caused "clear conflict between the old guard and the new guard", according to another.[5]: 108 In 2008, there were approximately 12,000 members of 273 chapters of The Links in 42 states.[7][5] By 2022, The Links had grown to 16,000 members and 292 chapters in the United States, The Bahamas, and the United Kingdom.[1] The Links Foundation, Inc. is its separate philanthropic organization.[2]

## Symbols

[edit]

The group's name was suggested by founding member Lillian Wall as a symbol of enduring friendship.[8] The Links' core values or pillars are friendship, integrity, honesty, service, commitment, family relationships, courage, respect for self and others, legacy, confidentiality, responsibility, and accountability.[9] Its emblem is a globe of the world, encircled by a chain.[10] Its colors are emerald green and white.[10] Its flower is the white rose.[10]

## Organization

[edit]

The Links' national headquarters is in Washington, D.C., in a building that was purchased in August 1984 to house both the society and its related foundation.[11][8][2] In 1954, The Links decentralized its operations into four geographic areas: Central, Eastern, Southern, and Western.[12][13] Each area oversee the chapters located within its states. As of 2024, there were 17,000 members in 299 chapters.[14] In, 1999 each chapter membership was limited to no more than 55 women.[5]: 102 Chapters are also organized into clusters or groups of chapters located within the same metro-area.[13]

## Membership

[edit]

Women interested in joining any of the local chapters must be nominated by a current member;[5]: 109 if a chapter has 55 members, no more may be accepted until one leaves.[5]: 102 Admission is "extremely competitive", according to Lawrence Otis Graham.[5]: 109 One member of a Washington, D.C. chapter describes having spent "twelve years of strategizing, party-giving, and brownnosing to get into this group."[5]: 103 Most women do join The Links until they are in their 40s or older, and most remain members until they die.[5]: 109

The Links has been criticized for its exclusivity; one member noted that while a woman could be nominated by any other member, for practical intents those admitted are "usually those who know at least half of the chapter's membership".[5]: 109 Social, professional or economic prominence within a city's Black population also may help get a candidate admitted, as members with such backgrounds help add to the chapter's prestige.[5]: 109

## Activities

[edit]

Chapters typically also hold multiple social events for a city's black elites, such as debutante cotillions, fashion shows, gala fund-raisers, balls, luncheons, and formal parties.[5]: 103, 107 Members are required to accumulate volunteer hours.[5]: 103 The national core focuses include education, health, youth services, art, domestic legislation, and international welfare.[5]: 107 [3] The Links has provided support to Africare, the Haitian Refugee Center, the NAACP, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the United Negro College Fund.[2][5]: 102

## Chapters

[edit]

Main article: List of The Links chapters

As of 2024, there were 299 chapters of The Links, located in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.[9]

## Importance

[edit]

According to Graham, The Links is the "most elite organization" for prominent American black women,[5]: 102 and is both the largest and the most influential.[5]: 102 Membership in the organization, he writes, signals to other prominent blacks that "your social background, lifestyle, physical appearance, and family's academic and professional accomplishments passed muster".[5]: 102

Los Angeles PBS station KCET called The Links "the most prominent" of the black women's clubs.[15] Rolling Stone called it "one of the most influential and prestigious".[16]

John Lewis called The Links a "distinguished organization of outstanding community service and influence".[14]

## Notable members

[edit]

Main article: List of The Links members

As of 2025, The Links has more than 17,000 members.[9] The group's members include philanthropists, college presidents, politicians, activists, judges, doctors, bankers, lawyers, executives, educators, and the wives of well-known public figures.[17][5]: 105

## See also

[edit]

* List of African-American fraternities and sororities

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Hudson, Christina (2022-01-25). "The Links, Incorporated (1945- )". BlackPast.org. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
2. ^ a b c d Brown, Olive D. (October 22, 2020). "The History and Impact of Links, Incorporated in Texas | Handbook of Texas". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
3. ^ a b c "The Links, Incorporated | American organization | Britannica". Britannica.com. Archived from the original on August 29, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
4. ^ "The Links, Incorporated Celebrates 75 Years Of Excellence". BET. November 9, 2021. Archived from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Graham, Lawrence Otis (2014). Our kind of people. [Place of publication not identified]: HarperCollins e-Books. ISBN 978-0-06-187081-1. OCLC 877899803.
6. ^ "History". Portsmouth Chapter, The LINKS, Incorporated. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
7. ^ About the Links, Inc. Archived May 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved April 17, 2008, from The Links, Incorporated Web site.
8. ^ a b Organizing Black America: an encyclopedia of African American associations. Nina Mjagkij. New York: Garland. 2001. p. 308\. ISBN 0-8153-2309-3. OCLC 44720533.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
9. ^ a b c Gibson-Thompson, Nage. "Home". The Links Incorporated. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
10. ^ a b c "Protocol Manual" (PDF). The Links Fresno. The Links, Incorporated. 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
11. ^ Farr, Stephanie (November 7, 2021). "Smith Memorial Playground gets $25,000 donation from The Links, Inc., a service organization founded in Philly". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
12. ^ "Regional History". Eastern Shore NY. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
13. ^ a b "About Us". Mid Cities Links, Incorporated. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
14. ^ a b Talley, Scott (June 26, 2021). "The Links, Inc., 'committed to service in the community' in Detroit". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
15. ^ Bythewood-Porter, Taylor (July 22, 2021). "The Links, Incorporated: How African American Debutantes Shaped a New Vision of Black Womanhood". KCET. Archived from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
16. ^ McFadden, Syreeta (July 1, 2021). "Meet the Women Bringing Weed to the Deep South". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
17. ^ "America's black upper class and Black Lives Matter". The Economist. August 22, 2020. Archived from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2021.