#TheDailyRecord The Deaconess Manual of the AME Church 1902,

The Deaconess Manual of the AME Church 1902, recounts the history Women’s Ministry in the AME Church. The Dorcas Society was organized in 1824 by Sarah Allen, wife of Richard Allen. Sarah was unhappy because of the shabby appearance of the ministers who attended the Annual Conference to give their reports, etc. She wanted them to look more adequately dressed. So, she sought other women to help her mend the preacher’s clothes. The organization lasted only a few years and became inactive. On February 17, 1874, the editor of the Christian Recorder, Rev. Benjamin T. Tanner wrote an open letter to the women of the AME Church posing the question: “What are the women doing?” It was suggested that a Women’s Missionary Society should be organized. On August 11, 1874, at Bethel AME Church in Pennsylvania, the Women’s Parent Mite Society was organized.

See the manual for yourself: https://archive.org/details/deaconessmanualo00gran