Mary Townsend Seymour and the Hartford NAACP

During this time period, African Americans throughout the city of Hartford – and indeed across the state of Connecticut – began to advocate for better conditions and integration within the community. The NAACP was first established on the national level in New York City in 1909, with prominent members of the African American community such as W.E.B. Dubois and Ida B. Wells signing the initial call to action.

In Hartford, Mary Townsend Seymour suggested the creation of a local NAACP chapter during a 1917 meeting at her home on New Britain Avenue. Indeed, DuBois himself visited Hartford in November 1917 and spoke to members of the community. Upon seeing the work the Hartford NAACP was doing, DuBois and other leaders of the national organization granted them a charter. Once established, the Hartford NAACP, led by Seymour and William Service Bell, called for an end to lynching, self-defense of community members, and equal rights for African Americans in Connecticut.