Ada Belle Dement (1888 – November 28, 1945) was an American educator and clubwoman. In 1941, she became president of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC).

Early life and education

In 1888, Ada Belle Dement was born in

Caldwell Caldwell may refer to: People * Caldwell (surname) * Caldwell (given name) * Caldwell First Nation, a federally recognized Indian band in southern Ontario, Canada Places Great Britain * Caldwell, Derbyshire, a hamlet * Caldwell, East ...

, Texas. She studied at

Prairie View College Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU or PV) is a public historically black land-grant university in Prairie View, Texas. Founded in 1876, it is one of Texas's two land-grant universities and the second oldest public institution of higher learni ...

and the universities of California, Chicago, and Colorado.

Career

Following her studies, Dement became a teacher at

Fort Worth Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

high school for seventeen years. In

Mineral Wells Mineral Wells is a city in Palo Pinto and Parker Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 16,788 at the 2010 census (14,644 in Palo Pinto and 2144 in Parker). The city is named for mineral wells in the area, which were highly pop ...

, she was principal of the high school and with the support of the PTA and community built a new school for the town. Dement was active in numerous organizations, serving as the Chairman of NACWC's Peace and Function Committee, Senior State Supervisor of Girls, and President of the Texas Federation of Colored Women's Clubs from 1930 to 1934. As Texas State President, she was responsible for starting the State Scholarship Fund; promoted the establishment of a training school for delinquent black girls and a state hospital for black tuberculosis patients; and worked with the

Texas Federation of Women's Clubs The Texas Federation of Women's Clubs (TFWC) is a non-profit women's organization in Texas which was founded in 1897. The purpose of the group is to create a central organization for women's clubs and their members in Texas relating to education ...

. In 1942, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Bishop College. In 1942 she spoke on "Victory Through Youth" to the state convention of the New Homemakers of Texas, a black student organization. In 1941, Dement was elected National President of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, benefiting from the support of the large Texas delegation in a contested race. She died before the completion of her presidency. She was a vice president of the National Council of Women of the United States, and vice president of the Texas chapter of the National Negro Congress (NNC). She was active in national leadership of the Women's Auxiliary to the National Baptist Convention.

Personal life

Ada Belle married a Baptist minister, Clifton DeMent. They lived in

Mineral Wells, Texas Mineral Wells is a city in Palo Pinto and Parker Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 16,788 at the 2010 census (14,644 in Palo Pinto and 2144 in Parker). The city is named for mineral wells in the area, which were highly popu ...

. She died in 1945, aged 57, in a hospital in

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dement, Ada Belle 1888 births 1945 deaths People from Caldwell, Texas Prairie View A&M University alumni American women academics Presidents of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs 20th-century African-American educators 20th-century American educators 20th-century African-American women Clubwomen