Jack and Jill of America, Inc. was founded in 1938 by Marion Turner Stubbs Thomas when she invited a group of mothers to meet in her Philadelphia home and discuss ways to create social, cultural, and educational opportunities for their children. That single gathering in January 1938 grew into a formalized national organization dedicated to nurturing future African-American leaders through leadership development, community service, and family-centered programming.

In the years that followed, chapters sprang up in cities across the country—the second chapter appeared in New York in 1939 and a third in Washington, D.C. in 1940—leading to a national restructuring in the mid-1940s and formal incorporation under Delaware law shortly thereafter. Over time Jack and Jill added a national foundation to support its educational and charitable work and established a national office to coordinate programs and services for chapters and families.

What began as a local mothers’ club has become a nationwide movement: hundreds of chapters serving tens of thousands of families, all guided by the organization’s founding purpose of strengthening children through leadership, civic engagement, and cultural enrichment. The Far West Region continues that legacy — bringing the national mission to life across Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington through regional events, chapter programming, and community service that uplift families and prepare youth to lead.