History & Heritage
The post World War I era sharply defined history for thousands of African-Americans who migrated from the rural south to the great seaport cities of the Northeast. They came searching for jobs, housing, and safe communities where they could raise their families. During the early 1900s, Melissa Thompson Coppin, M.D., then one of 20 African-American female physicians in the United States, organized a group of churchwomen from the historic Richard Allen AME church to help with the relocation, child care needs, housing and employment problems that confronted the new Philadelphians. In 1921, WCA became the first African-American foster care placement agency in Philadelphia, beginning the legacy of encouraging “community families” to proudly accept responsibility for providing love and support for abused and/or neglected children.
In 2009, WCA will proudly celebrate its 90th anniversary as a leading child welfare agency in Philadelphia and the nation. Watch your inbox for an invitation to our anniversary events!
