Mary E. Branch African American Women’s Symposium

Mission: To have an African American Women’s Symposium at Huston-Tillotson University that educates, inspires, and motivates African American Women Scholars to achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams.

Vision: To be a leading African American Women’s Symposium among all institutions of higher learning in the United States.

Contact information

Jackson-Moody 203
Huston-Tillotson University  /  900 Chicon Street  /  Austin, Texas 78702-279
jehudson@htu.edu
1.512.505.6434
Mary E. Branch African American Symposium
maeaaws@htu.edu

About Dr. Mary E. Branch

Mary E. Branch was Tillotson College’s first African American Woman President.  Dr. Branch was instrumental in founding the institution’s first library through her outreach to national Congregational Churches and “contributions from friends”.  Dr. Branch’s appointment to the Tillotson College presidency by the American Missionary Association took effect on July 1, 1930.  Her first impressions of the campus after arriving in Austin were “shock and disgust”.  The college had suffered “years of declining enrollments and inadequate administration for some years.” Dr.  Branch and her Administration began a “five-year plan of development” beginning with the library.  As an advocate of W. E.B. Du Bois’ philosophy regarding the “Talented Tenth” and her desire to attract the best African American women students, she knew it was critical to provide them with the best on-campus resources possible. See  Dr. Mary E. Branch and Huston-Tillotson College Library