Linden Branch of YWCA 3
The Linden Street YWCA was formed in 1920 and was at 828 Linden Street. It provided important services especially to black West Oaklanders until the national YWCA integrated in 1944.
It was organized in 1920 by Hettie Tilghman, Delilah Beasley, Melba Stafford, and Willa Henry. In 1917, Stafford had organized a local unit of the Red Cross called the "Ada Young Auxiliary of the American Red Cross", which raised a total of $6,000; $4,000 of that went to the Linden branch of the YWCA. 5
In 1944 it became officially known as the West Oakland Center of the YWCA, 1 but it was frequently still referred to as the Linden Street "Y".
Lulu Chapman was the executive director of the YWCA from 1929 to at least 1945. 1,4
1940 - MS189_0809 2
Links and References
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Remembering the Linden Street YWCA by Dorothy Lazard, Oakland Heritage Alliance News Winter 2013
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Linden Branch YWCA to Seek New Members Soon Oakland Tribune September 20, 1942
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The Black Y's of Oakland A Bit of History blog
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Linden YWCA Widens Its Functions Oakland Tribune November 8, 1944
- Y.W.C.A. Linden Branch, Oakland, California group photograph African American Museum and Library at Oakland, MS189_0809
- Linden Branch of YWCA Oakland History Center ohrphoto.oaklandclubs.054
- Y.W.C.A. Sets Final Party Oakland Tribune June 23, 1945
- Biography of Melba Stafford, 1879-1967 alexanderstreet.com
