Ruth Logan Roberts (1891 – 1968) was a suffragist, activist,

YWCA The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries. The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swi ...

leader, and host of a salon in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

, New York City.

Early life

Ruth Logan Roberts was born in 1891 as the daughter of suffragist

Adella Hunt Logan Adella Hunt Logan (February 10, 1863 – December 10, 1915) was an African-American writer, educator, administrator and suffragist. ''Includes image'' ''Indicates that she has sufficient notability to be covered in two of OUP's biographical wor ...

. Sourced from Roberts studied physical therapy at Boston's

Sargent School of Physical Education The Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College (SAR) is a unit of Boston University. The College offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs to prepare students for both research and clinical career ...

, graduating in 1911. Roberts later served a physical educator for the

Tuskegee Institute Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature. The campus was de ...

. In 1917, she married the physician Eugene Percy Roberts, and the couple moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

Activism

Ruth Logan Roberts began her work as a suffragist around 1913 in Tuskegee. She continued her activism after her move to New York City, notably serving on a number of boards and actively advocating for women's suffrage and against racial discrimination. Roberts was a member of the boards of directors of national and local

as well as board of the Katy Ferguson Home for Unmarried Mothers. She also served on the New York State Board of Social Welfare. While at the YWCA, Roberts helped organize women in the sale of war bonds through the Liberty Loan program. She also served on the New York State Board of Social Welfare, a position that she was appointed to by Governor

Thomas E. Dewey Thomas Edmund Dewey (March 24, 1902 – March 16, 1971) was an American lawyer, prosecutor, and politician who served as the 47th governor of New York from 1943 to 1954. He was the Republican candidate for president in 1944 and 1948: although ...

. Her health education led her to serve on the boards of New York Tuberculosis and Health Association and the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses.

Salon

Roberts hosted a regular

salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...

at her home at 130 West 130th Street in Harlem, New York City, that brought together major figures active in Harlem at the time in politics, community service, and the arts.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Ruth Logan 1891 births 1968 deaths American suffragists People from Tuskegee, Alabama Activists from Alabama African-American suffragists Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Sargent College) alumni 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people

Early life

Activism

Salon

See also

References