Mary E. Jackson

Mary Elizabeth Jackson (1867–1923), was an African-American female suffrage activist, YWCA leader and writer. She worked with the Northeast Federation of Colored Women's Club and lead the suffrage movement with the National Association of Colored Women.

History Mary Elizabeth Jackson was born 1867 in Providence, Rhode Island to Henry and Amelia Jackson. In 1917, during World War I, she was appointed as "Special Industrial Worker among Colored Women" for the National War Work Council of the YMCA in which she analyzed employment trends and recommended programs to encourage fair employment of women of color.

Jackson served as president of the Rhode Island State Federation of Colored Women's Club (also known as the Rhode Island Association of Colored Women's Clubs) for 8 years.

Writing Jackson wrote for the NAACP’s magazine The Crisis in November 1918 entitled, “The Colored Woman in Industry” which was detailing the working conditions of women in factories and a hopeful future of African-American women in industry. In this writing she describes discusses inequality of wages between races, and between genders, as well as the prejudices and poor working conditions.