Our History
Honoring the Vision of Our Founder, Marion Stubbs Thomas
Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated was founded on January 24, 1938, by the late Marion Turner Stubbs Thomas, a concert pianist and visionary mother who sought to connect her children with other Black families during a time when opportunities were limited by segregation and the Great Depression.
What began as a small gathering of twenty mothers in Philadelphia grew into a movement dedicated to cultural enrichment, leadership, and service for African-American children. Today, Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated has more than 230 chapters across the United States and Germany, representing thousands of families committed to uplifting and empowering the next generation.
Image courtesy of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
About Marion Stubbs Thomas
Born in Philadelphia, Marion Stubbs Thomas graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1930 and later studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. A gifted musician and community leader, she combined grace and determination to create spaces for African-American children to thrive. Her vision—rooted in education, family, and service—continues to shape the mission of Jack and Jill today.
“As new members were welcomed, and then new chapters formed, the aims and ideals of Jack and Jill were strengthened—always with our children as the focal point. To us as mothers, it has become a means of furthering an inherent and natural desire: to bestow upon our children all the opportunities possible for a normal and graceful approach to a beautiful adulthood.”
— Marion Stubbs Thomas, Founder, Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
Image of Marion Stubbs Thomas courtesy of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. (archival use)