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The Blackstone School 380 Shawmut Avenue The South End Women's Heritage Trail begins here because it is very near the home of Kip Tiernan. In 1974, Tiernan founded Rosie's Place, a shelter where homeless women and their children are treated with dignity and unconditional love. Today, Rosie's Place has four separate lodgings, serves 200 meals a day, and has 300 volunteers. The Blackstone School teaches its students to care for their community just as Kip Tiernan and Rosie's Place do. |
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SE2: Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) 405 Shawmut Avenue Here we celebrate the life of Myrna Vázquez (1935-75). She was an actress, born in Puerto Rico. After she came to Boston, she worked hard to encourage the people in her neighborhood learn English so they could help themselves. Casa Myrna Vázquez, the largest domestic violence shelter in New England, is named after her because of the love she gave to and got back from the community. She also started a Puerto Rican festival in the South End. IBA serves the community in many ways, just as Myrna Vázquez did in her short lifetime. |
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SE3: League of Women for Community Service and Maria Louise Baldwin 558 Massachusetts Avenue The first president of the League of Women for Community Service was Maria Louise Baldwin (1856-1922). But she is best known as an outstanding teacher and principal. She was principal, then "master" of the Agassiz School in Cambridge for over 30 years - the first African American master in New England. After she retired, she moved to the South End. Baldwin was also a brilliant lecturer, often speaking against racial discrimination and praising the achievements of Black Americans. Over the years, the League has offered many services to people of all ages. Before the Civil War, the building was a safe house on the Underground Railroad. |
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SE4: Melnea Cass and the Women's Service Club 464 Massachusetts Avenue  Here
we honor Melnea Cass (1896-1978) who was president of the Women's Service
Club, which celebrated its 80th year in 1999. Known by all as the "First
Lady of Roxbury," Cass encouraged women to vote in the 1920s, tried
to make big stores and hospitals hire African Americans, helped found
Freedom House, was president of the Boston chapter of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a charter member of the
anti-poverty agency Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), and
demonstrated for integrated schools in Boston in the 1970s. In 1974, she
was named Massachusetts' "Mother of the Year." (See also BB4.) |
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