Our History

Our Founders

On the evening of November 9, 1946, Margaret Hawkins and Sarah Scott, two young Philadelphia matrons, invited seven of their friends to join them in organizing a new type of inner-city club. The two women envisioned an organization that would respond to the needs and aspirations of African-American women in ways that existing clubs did not.

Those co-founders embraced a threefold purpose for The Links. The members would contribute to the civic, educational and cultural milieu and this direction persists today. Based on these purposes, The Links, Incorporated would implement programs which its founders hoped would foster cultural appreciation through the arts, through development of richer inter group relations, and through the participation of women in social and civic responsibilities.

During the early years, the National Links organization directed the major portion of its Grants-in-Aid support to three other national organizations, the NAACP, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Urban League. The organization possesses a life membership in the NAACP and supported the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund at its inception. In the 1960s, The Links, Incorporated, began a period of priority support for the United Negro College Fund. To date, The Links contribution to UNCF totals more than one million dollars. In its over 50 years of existence, The Links, Incorporated, has made its name almost synonymous with strong programming and philanthropy.

The National Program of the Links, Incorporated, consists of five facets:


Charter Members

*Carolyn P. Bias, Helen M. Caldwell, Della L. Clark, Trudy P. Cloyd, Joretta Durant, Lois P. Edmond, Marilyn F. Garner, *Cora H. Hawkins, *Mary Mills, Sandra M. Jones, *Maggie D. Kiah, Ernestine G. Miales, W. Rae Mitchell, *Mary H. Powell, +*Carrie C. Shoffner, Selia Shoffner, Ann G. Slade, Doretha B. Sledge, *Lillie J. Solomon, *Beatrice A. Strayhorn, Lula G. Thorpe, *Eloise W. Williams *deceased +chapter organizer

History of Lake Gaston Area Chapter

In the early 1980s Carrie C. Shoffner brought together a circle of like-minded women – women who realized the need to foster greater cultural appreciation and to encourage social and civic awareness in this area. Their goal was to organize an interest group and ultimately to establish a chapter of the Links, Incorporated.

The interest group, “The Northeastern North Carolina Elites”, worked for two years sponsoring programs and projects in their communities. Because of the great distance which the area covered, working together on projects enabled the group to meld into a “true” organization of friends. Thus, The Lake Gaston Area Chapter was established and was chartered May 22, 1982. There were twenty-two charter members.

True to its purpose the chapter has presented forums and conducted informative workshops targeting youth and adults. It has promoted civic, cultural, educational, and health activities in order to improve the quality of life for the citizens of this area.

In recent years, The Lake Gaston Area Chapter has sponsored Annual Walk-a-Thons, recognized community leaders, and supported the following:

  • The Women’s Wing Organization

  • The Halifax Community College Breast Cancer Awareness Program

  • The PRAISE Program, First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro

  • The Mission Trip, First Baptist Church, Enfield

  • The Spelling Bee, Warren Education Fund.

In 2011 the chapter formed a partnership with the Halifax County Arts Council to present the photography of Daphne Maxwell Reid and in 2012 to host a book signing by author Mary Drew. The chapter also formed a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Roanoke Rapids. During the fall of 2012 members of the Services to Youth Facet volunteered to tutor at risk children in grades five through eight. The Lake Gaston Area Chapter is committed to the implementation of the Signature Programs of the Links, Incorporated.