Ionia R. Whipper Home
The Ionia R. Whipper Home is an organization and residence for girls and women in Washington, D.C.. It was established by Dr. Ionia Rollin Whipper (1872-1953), an African American obstetrician and health outreach worker, as a place for unwed mothers.[1][2]
Founding
Whipper first provided services for unwed mothers out of her Washington, DC home at 511 Florida Avenue, NW.
Along with women from St. Luke's AME Church, she formed the Lend-A-Hand club. The club raised money for the purchase of another property in the area.[3] In 1931, she opened the Ionia R. Whipper Home for Unwed Mothers at its first location. In 1951, the home relocated to 2000 Channing Street, NE.[1]
The Ionia R. Whipper Home accepted women of all races. It was the only facility of its kind to accept African American unwed mothers until the end of segregation in the 1960s.[1][2][4]
The Ionia R. Whipper Home became a shelter for at-risk girls and women in 1978.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "Historical Marker Database - Ionia R. Whipper Home".
- ^ a b "M Street High School Tour: Iona R. Whipper Home for Unwed Mothers - At one time, this was the only maternity home for young Black women in the Washington, DC, area". DC Historic Sites. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ Turnbow, Diana (July 5, 2022). "Transcription Volunteers Expand Access to Stories of African American Women". Smithsonian American Women's History. Archived from the original on 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- ^ "Whipper, Ionia Rollin (1872-1953) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed". 2014-05-25. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 2025-04-01.