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Creator
American West Indian Ladies Aid Society
Call number
Sc MG 498
Physical description
0.67 linear feet (2 boxes)
Language
English
Preferred Citation
[Item], American West Indian Ladies Aid Society records, Sc MG 498, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library
Repository
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

The American West Indian Ladies Aid Society (AWILAS) records are fragmentary in content, making it difficult to determine the actual transition of officers and other organizational activities, the exception being sick and death claim requests and payments. There are some financial and medical records and related correspondence; minutes; a few membership applications; correspondence with other benevolent organizations; and a folder of printed material, consisting of tickets, raffles, flyers, programs, invitations to events hosted by different organizations, Communist Party literature, bulletins, commercial solicitations, and political literature. There is correspondence between Ashley L. Totten, A. Philip Randolph (National President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters) and Casper Holstein discussing issues of concern to all Virgin Islanders.

Biographical/historical information

The American West Indian Ladies Aid Society, Inc. (AWILAS), a benevolent society, was founded in 1915 by Virgin Island immigrant women in the United States for the purpose of fostering "love, fraternity and benevolence among all women of the Virgin Islands." All female Virgin Islanders were eligible for membership.

In addition to providing burial and medical funds to their members, AWILAS also gave assistance in other areas, such as education, as a means of uplifting the "Negro culture" to a higher standard. According to a resolution in their by-laws, an ultimate goal was to join forces with other Virgin Island societies and collectively put monies into a sinking fund to buy land or property. There were approximately thirty Virgin Island benevolent societies in New York City, including the Virgin Island Congressional Council of which Casper Holstein was president, and the Virgin Island Civic Association, whose president was Ashley L. Totten.

Following the recorded minutes of April 28th, 1936, AWILAS appears to have merged with The Sons and Daughters of Florida Club, a benevolent society which was founded in 1932; the last recorded records of this organization are May 11, 1965.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift, November 1993.

Revision History

Finding aid updated by Lauren Stark. (2022 February 2)

Processing information

Accessioned by Ira Jefferies and Diana Lachatanere, October 1993.

Using the collection

Location

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801
Second Floor