Northern Virginia Section

The National Council of Negro Women was founded in 1935 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, an influential educator and activist, and for more than fifty years, the iconic Dr. Dorothy Height was president. It is an “organization of organizations” (comprised of 300 campus and community-based sections and 32 national women’s organizations) that enlightens, inspires and connects more than 2,000,000 women and men.

The Northern Virginia Section was originally established as the Falls Church Section in 1975 by Mrs. Barbara Williams, assisted by Mrs. Bernice Tate and Mrs. Ora Lawson; serving the Falls Church Community. Later in 1976, it was decided that combining various local sections would better serve the community at large. Thus, the National Headquarters chartered the NoVA Section, bringing together Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria, Springfield, and Fairfax, to address local needs while impacting communities area wide through volunteer efforts; improving conditions within communities one project at a time.

Since the inception of the Northern Virginia Section in 1976, the section has awarded several scholarship through our Annual Oratorical Scholarship Competition, served meals area homeless shelters, held education workshops for parents on college funding, donated school & household supplies for families living in shelters, held Christmas toy drives, and donated thanksgiving baskets.