PVS History

History of the Potomac Valley Section of the National Council of Negro Women
Organized in 1997

The Potomac Valley Section of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) was organized on August 12, 1997, and chartered on November 13, 1997. NCNW is a voluntary, non-profit membership organization. Its mission is to lead, advocate for, and empower women of African descent, their families, and their communities.

Early in July 1997 at an NCNW social event attended by Audrey Banks, Phyllis Davenport, Evenly Hill, Delores Lincoln-Willis, Cherry Richardson, Carolyn Shackleford, Mary Watters, and Tish Winfield, all NCNW members; and Gerald Roper accepted the challenge from Dr. Dorothy I. Height to organize another Section of NCNW in Montgomery County, Maryland. Accordingly, on August 23, 1997, at noon, eight of the nine organizers held their first planning meeting to discuss the need and necessary steps to establish this new Section of NCNW in Montgomery County. By the close of the meeting, they had selected the name “Potomac Valley” Section and scheduled the date for its inaugural meeting. At the second planning meeting, a non-NCNW member, Mr. Roper, joined them and became the ninth member of the organizing group. Mrs. Richardson was selected as President of the organizing group.

On October 12, 1997, the first meeting of NCNW, Potomac Valley Section (PVS), was held at The People’s Community Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland, with over 100 in attendance. Ninety-seven individuals joined and 71 as charter members. It was indeed a memorable and momentous day. Mrs. Richardson was selected as Section President for the first year. By the end of its first year, PVS membership had increased to over 170 members. Committees had been created and were greatly involved in carrying out many community service projects. PVS is one of the last Sections officially chartered by Dr. Dorothy I. Height.

PVS held its first election of officers on May 19, 1998. Connie Harshaw became the first elected PVS President, followed by Effie Smith Macklin, Jeanette Wolfe, Ethel Lawhon, Ida Fletcher, Monica Baltimore, Diann Dawson, Carolyn Lloyd and Monica Baltimore. Our current PVS President is Marilyn Massey-Ball.

PVS/NCNW believes in excellence, self-reliance, education, commitment, volunteering and giving back, partnership and sharing – and leaving no one behind. In 2012, PVS adopted the Section motto “What We Do Matters.”