This photo accompanied a 2 July 1976 Wilson Daily Times article on the history of the “home economics movement” in Wilson County. Home economics extension agent Jane Amos Boyd organized the club.

“Mitchell Adult [Home Demonstration] Club was once selected as the most outstanding club in Wilson County.”

In May 1940, Jane A. Boyd submitted a report to the Daily Times of the activities of the Negro home demonstration clubs. The Mitchell and Yelverton clubs participating in a clean-up campaign reported stacking wood piles; cleaning under their houses (which stood without skirting on brick or stacked stone piers); moving their clotheslines to the backyard; cleaning barn lots; moving wash pots; trimming shrubbery; building new floors and porch steps; whitewashing outhouses; repairing steps and porches; painting houses; making window, screen doors and fly traps; covering garbage pails; and taking health exams.

The Wilson club met at Julia Barnes’ house. Items on the agenda: growing vegetables on a lot donated by Short Barnes and making pillowcases for Mercy Hospital.

Wilson Daily Times, 9 May 1940.

• Jane Amos Boyd
• Henrietta Ruffin
• Julia Barnes
• Short Barnes
• Maggie Williams
• Elizabeth Hilliard
• Addie Hagans