Members will assemble in Boston from May 22-25, 2025, for ‘The Boston Tea Party’
First National Girl Friends Inc. Conclave, 1933
Nationwide — The Girl Friends®, Incorporated is one of the oldest and most highly respected social organizations of African American women in the United States. Founded in 1927 in New York during the Harlem Renaissance, Girl Friends serve their communities in many capacities—as authors, professors, doctors, lawyers, business owners, U.S. Congress members, wives, and mothers.
Corporate supporters for The Girl Friends®, Incorporated Conclave at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza include Signature Partner Meet Boston (Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau) and Lead Partners Morgan Stanley, AARP, and Encore Boston Harbor, a Wynn Resort. Additional Supporting Partners include: The City of Boston, Eastern Bank, Hearst Television and The Partnership, Inc. “Our Girl Friends are looking forward to convening in Boston to conduct our national business, celebrate our civic engagement and renew our bonds of friendship” said Beth Espy, 39th National President of The Girl Friends®, Inc. “In these changing times, we wholeheartedly thank our sponsors for their support.”
Boston became the fourth chapter of The Girl Friends®, Inc. in January of 1931 and last hosted a Conclave in 1976. “We are proud to be the destination for this annual gathering once again, “said Karen Holmes Ward, National Vice President and Boston Chapter President. “Our theme, ‘The Boston Tea Party’, aligns perfectly with Boston250, our city’s celebration of the American Revolution”.
Providing a boost to the local economy, Girl Friends will visit the African Meeting House on Beacon Hill, visit The Embrace memorial on Boston Common, tour the Boston Public Garden, walk the galleries at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, cruise Boston Harbor, enjoy the theater and dine at dozens of local restaurants, including several black-owned restaurants. Conclave Chair Dr. Cindy Carter noted, “The first Conclave was held in 1933 in New York City with 28 members in attendance; this year, the Boston Chapter will welcome well over a thousand to our city for our 90th Conclave.”
Although the original concept was social, The Girl Friends®, Incorporated has expanded its purpose to include charitable and cultural activities. Nationally, approximately one quarter million in contributions have been made to major organizations like NAACP, the United Negro College Fund, the Children’s Defense Fund, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, The Flint Water Crisis and The Girl Friends Fund Scholarship Program. In 1989, the Girl Friends Fund was founded as a separate 501 (c) (3) organization to provide financial assistance to students nationwide. Locally, Girl Friends chapters have supported a broad spectrum of causes from educational projects, as well as the arts, health and wellness initiatives, and community assistance programs.
About The Girl Friends®, Incorporated
Established in 1927, the organization was incorporated in 1938 under the legal guidance of Thurgood Marshall, husband of Baltimore Girl Friend Vivian Marshall. The Girl Friends® Inc. represents over two thousand members in forty-nine chapters representing twenty-six states and the District of Columbia. Contact The Girl Friends, Inc.
Learn more at TheGirlfriendsInc.org