Who was a prominent advocate for the rights of African American women and founder of the NACW?

• A. Ida B. Wells
• B. Mary Church Terrell
• C. Harriet Tubman
• D. Sojourner Truth

Answer: (B)

Mary Church Terrell was a crucial figure in the fight for African American women's rights and played a significant role in the founding of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) in 1896. She was a tireless advocate for civil rights, women's suffrage, and education. Terrell's leadership helped to unify various women's clubs, providing a collective voice for African American women who were often marginalized within the larger women's rights movement and the civil rights movement.

Terrell's work was not only significant because of her activism but also due to her educational background; she was one of the first African American women to earn a college degree. Her experiences and insights shaped the policies of the NACW, emphasizing both racial and gender equality. By establishing the NACW, Terrell and her contemporaries created a platform that addressed specific issues facing African American women, thereby ensuring that their rights and concerns were represented in broader social reform efforts.