Our History

In 1952, the Queens, New York Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. was chartered under the guidance of Mother Emilie Pickens. Today, our chapter embodies the spirit Mrs. Pickens envisioned as an organization of dedicated mothers who seek to impart constructive cultural, educational, civic, health, and social/recreational programming that stimulates growth and development in our African-American children. In accordance with the National Thrusts, we strive to develop future leaders year after year through outstanding programming, community service, legislative advocacy, and philanthropy.

In the late 1950s and 1960s, the Queens Chapter was known in the community for its spectacular themed dances at the Triangle Ballroom. These were can’t miss social happenings and the Chapter raised much-needed money to help fund hot-button civil rights movement community organizations and initiatives, including the local NAACP branch and voter registration drives. Other Queens Chapter activities included hayrides, costume parties, roller skating, and taffy-making.

In the 1970s, the Queens Chapter established a partnership with the Queens Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (QSPCC). We raised funds for the organization and started an intervention program at York College of the City University of New York (CUNY) for young local mothers with children, ages 18 months to 3 years. The QSPCC mothers received instructions in parenting skills, early childhood language development, and child abuse prevention. In response to an increasing interest in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the Cosmopolitans (Senior Teens) launched a wildly popular HBCU college bus tour that introduced students to many esteemed academic institutions.

In the 1980s, the Queens Chapter and the internationally renowned Studio Museum in Harlem partnered on outreach projects for the betterment of the larger Queens community. The Queens Chapter worked closely with individual families, and we adopted a family with a child suffering from Sickle Cell Anemia, our chapter became aware of the family through one of our fathers, Dr. Gerald Deas. We provided clothing, toys, meals, and financial assistance for several years. We were proud to be influential in the family’s life and particularly pleased the matriarch returned to school, graduated from York College (CUNY) and later became an educator.  

Lastly, in the 1990s, the Queens Chapter worked with the Black Spectrum Theatre’s Children’s Theater School and the National Urban League. We also worked with Dr. Gerald Deas on his Corn Starch Awareness Campaign, which aimed to increase awareness among women of color that it was unhealthy to consume cornstarch in large quantities, especially during pregnancy.