Jack and Jill of America, Inc.

Jack and Jill of America, Inc., nonprofit philanthropic organization established in 1938 to address the needs of African American mothers and children. It is the oldest family organization of its kind in the United States.

Jack and Jill of America was founded in Philadelphia by a group of 20 upper-middle-class African American women who felt that their children were caught in a social double bind. They were prohibited from joining whites-only groups, and there were no equivalent social networking opportunities for African American children. Jack and Jill was therefore conceived as a way to bring together black children of shared social standing to associate freely. The national organization was incorporated in 1964. By the early 21st century, Jack and Jill had evolved into a nationwide organization with more than 200 local chapters, and it was collaborating on numerous initiatives with other organizations and sponsoring a variety of scholarship and leadership programs.