Founded 1906—in an old Patton House—as an organization to help women
and girls.
It was later a joint organization of all women, a prayer group, and
a home for nurses but for all women regardless of their "status in
life.
"When
the Patton House became too small, the Cherokee Inn on Woodfin and
Oak Streets
was purchased. It became too expensive to operate so was sold. The
residence of
Mrs. Charles M. Platt on Merrimon Ave, was used until the YWCA was
built at
13 Grove St. in
1924.
The Phyllis Wheatley Branch for Negro women began with a group of
women who met for
programs on Sunday afternoons in 1913 and 1914. A building on
Market St. was bought and later turned over to the government during
World War I. After the war,
the building was returned and later sold. The meetings were held in
a building on
the site of the Phyllis Wheatley Center on College St.
A new building was erected on this site in 1938 and the older Center
was used as a residence for girls and for classes and club meetings.
The new building was the only fully equipped gymnasium for Negroes
in the city and in much of the South.
It later became the center of community activities—clubs, parties,
teas, Co-Ed
and educational functions were held at the Phyllis Wheatley Center.
In 1934, the Central YW on Grove St. was given $100,000
through the will of
Samuel Moorehead whose only child, Mrs. Charles S. Bryant, was a
Grove St. board
member. With these funds an elegant boarding house was completed.
For 36 years
it served many working girls and students called this home and place
for classes
and other activities.
Phyllis Wheatley building near the tunnel on College St had to be
sold to make
room for progress so "Y" activities were moved to an old green
building on Ashland Ave. while a new building was being hoped for
and finally built at
185 South French Broad Ave.
For approximately 50 years there were 2 Y's—2 buildings, 2 boards, 2
membership
lists, 2 budgets, 2 sets of committees, 2 sets of classes, 2 summer
day camps,
2 annual meetings, 2 of everything.
National YW celebrated many years of teen work, beginning as "Little
Ladies" clubs, then Girl Reserves, and then Y-teens, which expanded
to National Teen Organization.
The purpose of the Y grew and by 1967 was open to all women and
girls regardless
of religion and all who had the potention [sic] to better their lot
in life. In
examining racism in YW structure—two wage scales, tracking
minorities into traditional jobs, Asheville had made some moves—an
interracial dinner in
election of a Black woman to the Board of Directors in 1954, a joint
Public Affairs committee, and a Black executive Director was hired.