Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery, an orphanage and daycare center, was established in 1918 by African-American clubwomen in West Oakland. Sometimes it is called the Fanny Wall Home.
“Charity is the Golden Chain that reaches from heaven to earth.”
from the letterhead
The Beginning
In 1914 the Northern Federation of California Colored Women’s Clubs President Fanny Wall and Financial Secretary Hettie Tilghman began working on a children’s home and day nursery to support black working mothers and care for orphaned black children. After years of planning and fundraising, the home opened in 1918 on Peralta Street in West Oakland.
“Care for the Orphans
“Shelters the Half Orphans”
“Keeps the Children of Day Workers.”
Oakland Tribune April 1920
Initially, the home was called the“Northern Federation Home and Day Nursery.” It was subsequently renamed to honor Fannie Wall who was the first woman to run the charity on a daily basis.
The Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery was open to children of all races, ethnicities, and religions, it was the first facility in Northern California to provide various services including housing, boarding, and daycare for black orphans.
It was located at 1215 Peralta Street in West Oakland from 1918-1928.
Fannie Wall ( 1860-1944) came to Oakland with her family in the early 1900s. She was born in Gallatin Tennessee in 1860. She was married to Archey(Archy) H. Wall (18?? -1931), was a staff sergeant in the US Army. They had two daughters, Lillian (Williams) and Florence (Murray), and one son Clifton. Archey was transferred to the Presidio in San Francisco and they ultimately ended up in Oakland. Wall was an early community activist who participated in several organizations that promoted African American economic empowerment
She served several terms as the president of the California Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs.
She co-founded the Art and Industrial Club of Oakland in 1906. Under her presidency, the club joined the Child Welfare League. Wall also help establish the “Colored Y” of Oakland.
In 1936 Archie Williams her grandson (Lillian)won a gold medal in the 400-meter run in Berlin.
Fannie Wall died on April 14, 1944, in her home on Telegraph Avenue. She is buried in the same plot as her husband in the San Francisco National Cemetery.
Linden Street Site
In 1928, having outgrown its original location they moved to a new one on Linden Street.
The handsome house at 815 Linden Street was purchased for $5000. The upper-middle-class house was designed by Charle Man in the 1880s. It was one of five buildings built by Frances Reichling a surveyor, who subdivided his property at the corner of Linden Street and Eighth Street. The largest of the buildings became the family home and the others were rentals.
The home could accommodate up to 20 resident children and 8-15 children for daycare services and be operated by a professional staff of over ten employees that included social workers and a volunteer psychiatrist.
The house was considered a step up from the one on Peralta Street and was across the street from the “Colored Y.”
New Look
The Linden Street site was given a face-lift in 1953. The “new look,” a two-room addition was used as the administrative offices, releasing the old offices and reception room for nursery classes and a future library. They provided room for 47 children.
In 1962 the Oakland Redevelopment Agency purchased the property at 815 Linden St. in order to demolish the building for the Acorn Project.
Management
“Fannie Wall is Calling”
From the annual report
The Northern Federation of Colored Women Clubs operated the Fannie Wall Home until 1941. The home was then incorporated as an independent organization. At that time it was the only home in California that primarily cared for African-American children.
The home was admitted as an agency of the Community Chest-United crusade in 1923
Fannie Wall was elected as the first president and served more than 20 years as the head of the 21 board of directors. She was succeeded by Mrs. Lydia Smith Ward who in turn was followed by Mrs. Chlora Hayes Sledge in the 1940s.
The home was managed by a Board of Directors, which largely consisted of members of the Northern Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs, a community advisory committee, and an executive director who oversaw the home’s day-to-day operations.
The home was the first Community Chest Children’s Agency in the East Bay to employ a trained social worker.
Fundraising
The home received funding from a variety of sources including rent from an apartment in Berkeley donated by Josephine Sutton, Community Chest, the Dreiser Trust, and through fundraising events coordinated by the home.
MS162_B1_F6_001
The third charity ball was held on January 19, 1948, at the Oakland Auditorium.
In 1959 a fashion show was held at Slim Jenkins to raise money for the building fund. Models showed the latest styles.
A Haven For Children
In 1949 the Fannie Wall home had 30 children who received daycare while their parents worked. Ranging in age from 3 to 14 years. During the summer months, the children took swimming lessons at the de Fremery Park pool: enjoyed story hours at the West Oakland Branch Library, and had special excursions to other city parks and playgrounds.
Monthly parties were held to honor the children whose birthdays occurred during the month. They would dress up for a special dinner or an afternoon party.
The Final Location
In 1964 they purchased a house at 647 55th Street for $19,000. They initially struggled to obtain a license from the Social Welfare Department, and the home was not re-opened until 1967 as part of a placement program for the Alameda County Welfare Department.
The home was forced to close again in 1970 for remodeling and reopened in 1978 as a child daycare facility and Head Start Center. It is now called Fannie Wall Head Start.
More Info:
- Under Siege: Construction and Care at the Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery – Marta Gutman – Researchgate.net
- Guide to the Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery, Inc. Records – Online Archive of California
- Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery – Oakland Local Wiki
- Constitution and By-Laws – African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
- See What Archie Did at Berlin – Oakland Tribune August 8, 1936
- Fanny Wall Ball Set for Monday – Oakland Tribune December 06, 1946
- Fannie Wall Homes Does Two Essential Services – Oakland Tribune August 8, 1948
- Haven for Youth of Working Parents – Oakland Tribune August 14, 1949
- This ’New Look’ Adds More Room – Oakland Tribune September 13, 1953
- Chest Cancels Funds for Nursery _ Oakland Tribune August 20, 1954
- Fashion Show – Oakland Tribune August 29, 1959
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