Last updated: February 2, 2022
Place
Summit Street Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)
Photograph by David A. Pigford, courtesy of the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office
Quick Facts
Location:
236 South Paul Laurence Dunbar Street, Dayton, Ohio
Significance:
Architecture, Ethnic History-Black
Designation:
Listed in the National Register – Reference number 100004870
OPEN TO PUBLIC:
No
MANAGED BY:
Private
The Summit Street YWCA is significant for its association with African American social history through the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) and that organization’s mission to promote quality of life and racial equality for Dayton’s African American residents. The building was used as a YWCA from 1942 to 1973. Originally the home was built for Dayton businessman Benjamin Kuhns circa 1874. This was during an era of Dayton’s growth and prosperity late in the nineteenth century.
The location and size of the residence made it an attractive option for an expanding YWCA program. The property was purchased by the Dayton YWCA and made available to African American women members as the Summit Street YWCA branch. The acquisition of the nominated property as the new home of the Summit Street YWCA was not only a significant development for Dayton's African American community, but also became a statement of interracial progress by Dayton's Central and a National YWCA affiliates in 1942.
Early YWCAs in the United States were founded when racial segregation was the social norm. This was the case of the white Central Dayton Association branch that was an affiliate of the National YWCA. During these times, African American women of Dayton conducted their YWCA work in parallel to the white Y and originally identified themselves as Women's Christian Association No. 2 (WCA No.2).
WCA No. 2 began their work as a sewing club organized within the local Eaker Street AME Methodist Church. Within Dayton, YWCA work in the Black community began about 1889. The program is noted to be the country's oldest continuously existing black YWCA. In 1909, WCA No. 2 purchased their first facility at 800 West Fifth Street. This was the first home of the Summit Street YWCA women as they became nationally affiliated. In 1915, Dayton WCA No. 2 delegates attended an interracial conference sponsored by the National YWCA, in Louisville, Kentucky. Following this, during 1918, an overture was made by a representative from the National YWCA to the African American women of the WCA No. 2 organization to become an affiliate of the National YWCA through the white Dayton Central YWCA Association. The African American women of WCA No. 2 agreed and then became known as the YWCA West Side Branch. This was the first occurrence of African American YWCA women being acknowledged with membership parity as a full YWCA branch simultaneously at both the local and national levels.
The purchase and plans to renovate the Kuhns mansion and carriage house for the YWCA were made public in 1942. These efforts were impacted by the country's involvement in the Second World War. During this time thousands of young women came to work in war production industries of Dayton and sought housing through both public and private appeals in order to support the war effort. Within Dayton, decisions to quickly expand YWCA facilities citywide became the dominant consideration. The need to house African American women war workers became critical. Renovation of the mansion and carriage house had proceeded as emergency measures.
The headquarters for the Summit Street YWCA consisted of approximately 25 rooms. This floor was the main policy and decision-making department. The first floor provided executive management and conferencing functions. The primary spaces included large and small offices, dual parlors, and conferencing rooms with a central wide corridor utilized for reception and waiting. An employment bureau office to assure job placement within defense industries was maintained as well. One social room provided a direct connection to the parking lot via a rear porch and served intake functions for visitors. The basement floor became a vocational training and community outreach department for the older teenage girls. Here African American Y-Teens performed YWCA community outreach duties. An example of this was their fundraising program to rebuild war torn YWCAs, such as in the Philippines. This level included a club room lounge, crafts room/ library, external entry, laundry, and office. Evidence of these activities can still be seen through the murals located in this space. Both the second and third floors of the mansion were modified during the 1940s as a resettlement residence facility to service thirty African American women with fourteen bedrooms subdivided from the mansion's original spacious bedrooms.
As the postwar climate within the United States struggled with racial segregation issues, the National YWCA advocated racial justice by working for integration throughout the organization. They focused on good will, justice, and freedom as the controlling forces. Following this, as members of the same YWCA branch, African American members and their white counterparts began a process of sharing the activities center of the Summit Street YWCA.
The 1950s was a dynamic decade for the YWCA in Dayton. The Summit Street WYCA provided a multitude of programs designed and provided there by African American membership. Simply, African American and white women had decided to adopt new ideas and blend the programs for all Dayton women and girls. "Gradually, step by step, these two parts of the Association moved toward various kinds of participation that brought the members and volunteer workers together.” While there was some separation of activities, leaders in both groups were recognizing the need to really break down even an appearance of racial segregation. This followed the National YWCA principals of the Interracial Charter of the late 1940s.
The Summit Street YWCA provided many of the same activities as those conducted at the white Central Y, such as 'Mama's Day Out and "Pigtail Playtime" for young girls, they had added a plethora of new programs in response to African American community ideas. African American Y women thereby had diversified many of their programs as the opportunity their new facilities provided. According to published schedules residents could find fashion shows, plays, tap dancing, square dancing, recitals, baton twirling, ballet, sewing, baby beauty contests, modeling, fashion shows, roller skating, bridge, health clinics, marriage and dating counseling, conversational French and Spanish, academic tutoring, business vocational and home-making classes, social etiquette and charm school activities, health and grooming classes, off site field trips, picnics, camps, handicrafts, ceramics, gardening, tailoring, singing, modern books, devotions, macramé, programs for fathers and boys, and even health check-ups with a visiting doctor. Other Summit Street YWCA programs were carried into the community and received civic support as the African American community grew.
Beyond these, there were activities for babies, toddlers and older women. From their executive headquarters within the mansion, African American executives of the Summit Street YWCA managed and planned all activities as a hub for community progress with an open-door policy. They incorporated women's inter-generational concerns as well as the newer ideas of adult teens and those finding jobs and residing in their onsite residential quarters. For example: there was a Friday night program from 10pm to 2am for those who worked the late shift and needed a place to relax. The ideas and quality of programs established by African American membership also encouraged racial integration through participation by non-African American women and girls.
During 1961, as the Dayton Central YWCA completed newly renovated residential apartments at a downtown facility, more and more African American women took residence there. As more activity transitioned to the downtown YWCA location, the Summit Street WYCA gradually became less relevant during the 1960s. It was sold in 1973.
As the first African American YWCA to become an official branch of the both National YWCA and the local affiliate, and as one of the first, if not the first to bring integration within its facilities, the Summit Street YWCA indicates the greater legacy of women resolving critical social issues in Dayton and beyond.
The location and size of the residence made it an attractive option for an expanding YWCA program. The property was purchased by the Dayton YWCA and made available to African American women members as the Summit Street YWCA branch. The acquisition of the nominated property as the new home of the Summit Street YWCA was not only a significant development for Dayton's African American community, but also became a statement of interracial progress by Dayton's Central and a National YWCA affiliates in 1942.
Early YWCAs in the United States were founded when racial segregation was the social norm. This was the case of the white Central Dayton Association branch that was an affiliate of the National YWCA. During these times, African American women of Dayton conducted their YWCA work in parallel to the white Y and originally identified themselves as Women's Christian Association No. 2 (WCA No.2).
WCA No. 2 began their work as a sewing club organized within the local Eaker Street AME Methodist Church. Within Dayton, YWCA work in the Black community began about 1889. The program is noted to be the country's oldest continuously existing black YWCA. In 1909, WCA No. 2 purchased their first facility at 800 West Fifth Street. This was the first home of the Summit Street YWCA women as they became nationally affiliated. In 1915, Dayton WCA No. 2 delegates attended an interracial conference sponsored by the National YWCA, in Louisville, Kentucky. Following this, during 1918, an overture was made by a representative from the National YWCA to the African American women of the WCA No. 2 organization to become an affiliate of the National YWCA through the white Dayton Central YWCA Association. The African American women of WCA No. 2 agreed and then became known as the YWCA West Side Branch. This was the first occurrence of African American YWCA women being acknowledged with membership parity as a full YWCA branch simultaneously at both the local and national levels.
The purchase and plans to renovate the Kuhns mansion and carriage house for the YWCA were made public in 1942. These efforts were impacted by the country's involvement in the Second World War. During this time thousands of young women came to work in war production industries of Dayton and sought housing through both public and private appeals in order to support the war effort. Within Dayton, decisions to quickly expand YWCA facilities citywide became the dominant consideration. The need to house African American women war workers became critical. Renovation of the mansion and carriage house had proceeded as emergency measures.
The headquarters for the Summit Street YWCA consisted of approximately 25 rooms. This floor was the main policy and decision-making department. The first floor provided executive management and conferencing functions. The primary spaces included large and small offices, dual parlors, and conferencing rooms with a central wide corridor utilized for reception and waiting. An employment bureau office to assure job placement within defense industries was maintained as well. One social room provided a direct connection to the parking lot via a rear porch and served intake functions for visitors. The basement floor became a vocational training and community outreach department for the older teenage girls. Here African American Y-Teens performed YWCA community outreach duties. An example of this was their fundraising program to rebuild war torn YWCAs, such as in the Philippines. This level included a club room lounge, crafts room/ library, external entry, laundry, and office. Evidence of these activities can still be seen through the murals located in this space. Both the second and third floors of the mansion were modified during the 1940s as a resettlement residence facility to service thirty African American women with fourteen bedrooms subdivided from the mansion's original spacious bedrooms.
As the postwar climate within the United States struggled with racial segregation issues, the National YWCA advocated racial justice by working for integration throughout the organization. They focused on good will, justice, and freedom as the controlling forces. Following this, as members of the same YWCA branch, African American members and their white counterparts began a process of sharing the activities center of the Summit Street YWCA.
The 1950s was a dynamic decade for the YWCA in Dayton. The Summit Street WYCA provided a multitude of programs designed and provided there by African American membership. Simply, African American and white women had decided to adopt new ideas and blend the programs for all Dayton women and girls. "Gradually, step by step, these two parts of the Association moved toward various kinds of participation that brought the members and volunteer workers together.” While there was some separation of activities, leaders in both groups were recognizing the need to really break down even an appearance of racial segregation. This followed the National YWCA principals of the Interracial Charter of the late 1940s.
The Summit Street YWCA provided many of the same activities as those conducted at the white Central Y, such as 'Mama's Day Out and "Pigtail Playtime" for young girls, they had added a plethora of new programs in response to African American community ideas. African American Y women thereby had diversified many of their programs as the opportunity their new facilities provided. According to published schedules residents could find fashion shows, plays, tap dancing, square dancing, recitals, baton twirling, ballet, sewing, baby beauty contests, modeling, fashion shows, roller skating, bridge, health clinics, marriage and dating counseling, conversational French and Spanish, academic tutoring, business vocational and home-making classes, social etiquette and charm school activities, health and grooming classes, off site field trips, picnics, camps, handicrafts, ceramics, gardening, tailoring, singing, modern books, devotions, macramé, programs for fathers and boys, and even health check-ups with a visiting doctor. Other Summit Street YWCA programs were carried into the community and received civic support as the African American community grew.
Beyond these, there were activities for babies, toddlers and older women. From their executive headquarters within the mansion, African American executives of the Summit Street YWCA managed and planned all activities as a hub for community progress with an open-door policy. They incorporated women's inter-generational concerns as well as the newer ideas of adult teens and those finding jobs and residing in their onsite residential quarters. For example: there was a Friday night program from 10pm to 2am for those who worked the late shift and needed a place to relax. The ideas and quality of programs established by African American membership also encouraged racial integration through participation by non-African American women and girls.
During 1961, as the Dayton Central YWCA completed newly renovated residential apartments at a downtown facility, more and more African American women took residence there. As more activity transitioned to the downtown YWCA location, the Summit Street WYCA gradually became less relevant during the 1960s. It was sold in 1973.
As the first African American YWCA to become an official branch of the both National YWCA and the local affiliate, and as one of the first, if not the first to bring integration within its facilities, the Summit Street YWCA indicates the greater legacy of women resolving critical social issues in Dayton and beyond.