Clara Louise Payne (1882 - 1958) was a prominent civic leader in Buffalo, NY.[1] She was the first African American person to work in the Department of Public Welfare as a social worker, and was known for her active engagement to uplift her Black community.
Clara Louise Payne | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 1882 |
| Died | September 5, 1958 Buffalo, NY |
| Occupation(s) | Social worker and civic activist |
| Parent(s) | Thomas W. Payne and Grace L. Payne |
Biography
editClara Louise Payne was born in Buffalo, New York in February 1882 to parents Thomas W. and Grace L. Payne. Her father was an office clerk and her mother a matron at a school. She had two siblings, Madeline Payne Middleton and Dr. Earle Clifford Payne.[1] Her family was well established in Buffalo, and she was considered as a member of the "social elite" clubs like the New Century, the Criterion, and the Appomattox.[2]
She was a member of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, which her grandparents helped found.[1]
Community organizations
editPayne was extremely involved in the Buffalo community and she worked tirelessly for her community.
In 1901 during the Pan American Exposition, Payne was a member of the organizing committee for the Buffalo Progressive Club. They hosted a hospitality event for African Americans who attended the exposition.[3]
In 1911, she was named co-head worker at the Social Center for Negros along with Susan Evans. The center offered mostly industrial and recreational programs, as well as some educational and cultural programs for adults.[3]
Payne served at Marin Hospital as a volunteer nurse during World War I and the influenza epidemic of 1918 and 1920.[1]
In April 1920, she was an organizer of a Leonard Wood Club for African American women in the Buffalo area, named for the Republican candidate for president.[3] She was a member of the Buffalo chapter of NAACP and in 1920, was elected vice president.[4]
She was a Girl Scout Troop Leader and started the first integrated YWCA in the area. In 1926, she was elected to the Board of Directors and was a member of the Y's Business Girls' Council and Inter-racial committee.[1][3]
She was a founding member of the Buffalo Urban League and its board of directors. She was involved from 1927 until 1958.[1]
Career
editIn 1905, Payne was employed as a domestic worker. In 1915, she was a caterer. She also held administrative roles in the NAACP and the National Urban League.[4]
In June 1921, Payne began working as a Home Visitor for the Department of Public Welfare, and continued in this profession for 32 years as a social worker.[1] She was the first African American to work in the social welfare department for Erie County.[3]
Death and legacy
editPayne died on September 5, 1958, at the age of 76.[1]
See also
editReferences/Notes and references
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Ferrell, Kimberly Michelle (2020). "Biography of Clara Louise Payne, 1882-1958". Women and Social Movements in the United States,1600-2000. Alexandria, VA: Alexander Street Press. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Farley, Ena L (1990). "The African American Presence in the History of Western New York". Afro-Americans in New York Life and History. 14 (1): 27.
- ^ a b c d e "Clara Louise Payne". Uncrowned Community Builders. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ a b Williams, Lillian S (1990). "And Still I Rise: Black Women and Reform, Buffalo, New York, 1900-1940". Afro - Americans in New York Life and History. 14 (2): 7.
Further reading
edit- Williams, L. S. (2000). Strangers in the Land of Paradise: Creation of an African American Community in Buffalo, New York, 1900-1940. Indiana University Press.