Program

National Votes for Women Trail

Subject

Site

Location

301 E 7th St, Wilmington, DE 19801, USA

Lat/Long

39.7415208, -75.5470918

Grant Recipient

National Collaborative for Women's History Sites

The Thomas Garrett Settlement House and Association once stood at this site in Wilmington. Ardent abolitionist and Underground Railroad participant, Thomas Garrett was referred as “Our Moses” by African Americans for his role in helping large numbers of enslaved people reach freedom.

Organized around 1910 and incorporated in 1913, the Garret Settlement House’s mission was to assist and improve the lives of African Americans of all ages. The March 5, 1914 edition of The Evening Journal describes the Garret Settlement House as follows:

Great Strides toward the betterment and welfare of colored people of the city have been made at the Thomas Garret Settlement House, Seventh and Walnut streets, during the past year, and already the work has grown to such an extent as to almost be too much for the new quarters. Interest in the work of the various classes is increasing daily, and because of the demand for membership there is a long waiting list of young people who are anxious to enter classes. The sewing and cooking classes are two of the most popular, and both are already being besieged with membership applications. Dr. J. Bacon Stubbs meets with the younger boys several nights each week and gives them instructive talks on hygiene, and the rules of health, etc. Two young men are in charge of the room where boys play games.

The Garret Settlement House also served as meeting place for the African American Suffrage Club. Numerous integrated suffrage events were held there between 1914-1920, with one such event mentioned in a July 19, 1916 edition of The Evening Journal:

Miss Betha Sapovits, Congressional Union Organizer who is now busy in this city conducting a two month suffrage campaign has already begun the work of ward organizing. Tomorrow night Mrs. Florence Baynard Hilles and Miss Sapovits will address a meeting to be held at the Thomas W. Garrett Settlement Seventh and Walnut Streets. She will be assisted by Mrs. William McGee and Mrs. Annie M. Arnell. Mrs. J. B. Stubbs will preside.

While the Garrett Settlement House no longer stands, this institution played an important part in the lives of African Americans in Wilmington, Delaware and served as a meeting place for people to gather in order to talk about important issues like women’s suffrage.