This lesson will utilize primary sources from the Detroit Housewives League Collection, which is housed at the Detroit Public Library. The Detroit Housewives League began in 1930 in Detroit where African American women advocated for more African American-owned businesses and pressured white businesses to hire other African Americans.

This collection includes the Detroit Housewives League founding documents, membership cards, newspaper clippings, photographs and other materials that highlight their work. The documents in this collection are featured throughout the lesson plans provided here.

This four-part, inquiry-based lesson focuses on the Detroit Housewives’ League, an organization formed in 1930 as a response to the Depression.

The Instructional Resources are to be printed out and distributed among the students. It includes all primary sources needed for the lesson.The Lesson Template provides the teacher a guide for teaching the material.The power point presentation is meant to accompany the Instructional Resources and Lesson Template.