The Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated is proud to be part of an international not-for-profit organization established in 1946. Today, The Links, Incorporated is one of the oldest and largest volunteer service organizations dedicated to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other people of African ancestry.
Founded in 1950, our chapter has served the Columbus community for more than 75 years, building a legacy of meaningful service rooted in friendship. Our members bring diverse professional experiences—as legislators, physicians, educators, attorneys, media professionals, entrepreneurs, accountants, corporate executives, and more—but we are united by a shared commitment to service, leadership, and community impact.
Columbus (OH) Chapter Charter Members:
Top: Elsie Foley
2nd Row (Left to Right): Mary Curtis, Alberta Harris, Norma Starks
3rd Row (Left to Right): Thelma Smith, Harriett Tyler, Virgina Bailey, Alberta Turner
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated began with eight women who were friends and met weekly for fellowship and card games. These women embodied the core values of Linkdom—friendship and community service. They were outstanding homemakers, educators, psychologists, and active members of community boards, while their husbands represented the professions of medicine, law, and business. After discussions, these distinguished women took the necessary steps to become the charter members of the Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.
They were inducted on March 20, 1950, by National Vice President Letitia Rose and Dayton Chapter President Hortense Campbell. The Columbus (OH) Chapter then became the seventh chapter in the Central Area.
The Columbus Chapter hosted the 7th National Assembly in 1955, demonstrating the members’ leadership skills and strong connections in Columbus. In 2005, our chapter hosted the Central Area Conference in Columbus.
As the years passed, both membership and the intensity of service projects grew. Fundraising efforts were introduced to support the chapter’s educational and cultural programs.
Several of our chapter members have developed the leadership skills necessary to serve as area and national leaders within Linkdom:
In 2012, the Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated established an official archive at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Downtown Branch where members can discover more about their history and achievements.
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 17,000 professional women of African descent in 299 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
Our core values are friendship, integrity, honesty, service, commitment, family relationships, courage, respect for self and others, legacy, confidentiality, responsibility, and accountability. The members of The Links, Incorporated are influential decision makers and opinion leaders. The Links, Incorporated has attracted many distinguished women who are individual achievers and have made a difference in their communities and the world. They are business and civic leaders, role models, mentors, activists and volunteers who work toward a common vision by engaging like-minded organizations and individuals for partnership. Links members contribute more than 1 million documented hours of community service annually – strengthening their communities and enhancing the nation. The organization is the recipient of awards from the UN Association of New York and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation for its premier programs. In 2019, The Links, Incorporated was nominated for a Luxembourg Peace Prize by the Schengen Peace Foundation and recognized by the late Congressman John Lewis as a distinguished organization of outstanding community service and influence.
The outstanding programming of The Links, Incorporated has five facets which include Services to Youth, The Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services and Health and Human Services. The programs are implemented through strategies such as public information and education, economic development, and public policy campaigns.
Eight pioneering women were inducted into The
Links, Incorporated, launching the Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links Incorporated. Our Charter Members are Virginia Bailey, Mary Curtis, Ersie Foley, Alberta Harris, Thelma Smith, Norma Stark, Alberta Turner, and Harriet Tyler.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links Incorporated hosted the 7th National Assembly of The Links, Incorporated under the leadership of co-Founder and President Margaret Rosell Hawkins, which convened in Columbus, Ohio.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated began its groundbreaking Youth in the Arts program, launched in honor of National Links Week, responding to the call to create educational programs to uplift our most vulnerable population.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated spearheaded efforts to provide essential resources to underprivileged families, including crafting gift baskets and toy drives and conducting various activities at local senior centers.
The Links, Incorporated initiated a significant partnership with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), with a pledge of $132,000 from across its chapters. In 1974, The Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated fulfilled its $1,000 contribution to this pledge in 1974, embodying their commitment to education and philanthropy. Chapters, including the Columbus (OH) Chapter continued their commitment to UNCF resulting in The Links’ first million-dollar grant provided to the UNCF in 1984.
Link Roberta Bassnett of the The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated was elected Central Area Director. She served as the 9th Central Area Director from 1974–1979. Bassnett’s accomplishments included the establishment of the Sarah S. Scott Founder’s Award, which came with $1,000 awards to Wilberforce and Central State Universities, as well as Payne Seminary. Bassnett established the Central Area newsletter and 11 chapters were chartered during her tenure.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated continued its efforts to aid the community through its “Games and Gifts”program, providing board games to the Pointdexter Senior Center.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated partnered with the Ohio State University’s (OSU) Office of Minority Student Affairs to provide scholarships to local minority high school graduates and to celebrate, recognize and honor high school students in Columbus, OH and surrounding areas who earned a GPA of 3.5 or above.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated hosted “An Evening with Nancy Wilson”, with world renowned recording jazz singer Nancy Wilson at the Hyatt on Capitol Square Ballroom which benefited the Ohio State University’s Minority Scholars Program.
Project LEAD (Links Erase Alcohol and Drug Abuse) was introduced as a national program of The Links, Incorporated, later expanding to Project LEAD: HIGH EXPECTATIONS with more systematic programming establishing a robust for programming and accountability, ensuring a more profound impact on the lives of youth and families in need.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated hosted an event featuring jazz recording artist Arthur Prysock at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Columbus raising funds for their endowment at OSU in support of minority scholarships.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated kicked off its local programming for Project LEAD: HIGH EXPECTATIONS led by its Chapter President Kathy Espy.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, created a $30,000 endowment at The Ohio State University for minority scholarships. This was a milestone as the Columbus(OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated was the first African-American organization to establish an endowment at the Ohio State University.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated hosts jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis and Billy Taylor in concert, raising funds for minority education programs.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated unveils “Nocturne Navigator” sculpture at the Columbus Museum of Arts, commemorating the Underground Railroad and symbolizing hope and freedom. The sculpture portrays a woman with outstretched arms, adorned with a starry hoop skirt illuminated by the neon lights of the Big Dipper, representing the “Drinking Gourd” constellation–a guiding light for slaves navigating towards freedom.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated celebrated its 50th Anniversary.
Link Jeannine Quick-Frasier of the Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, was elected Central Area Director. She served as the 16th Central Area Director from 2003- 2007. Leading with her theme, “Arming Friendship,” Frasier continued the programs of her predecessors and directed the work of the Area towards challenges that people of color faced in the 21st Century. She chartered, the Queen City (OH) Chapter.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated hosted “Linking with the Community,” a Student Art Exhibit and Sale benefitting African Culture Association of the Columbus College of Art and Design.
The Chapter celebrated its 60th Anniversary.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated hosted its Masked Ball benefitting The Links Foundation, Incorporated to support local community programming in education, health and cultural enrichment.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated hosted a “Books in a Bag” event, donating books abroad to an African nation.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated established a partnership with Partners Achieving Community Transformation (PACT) and Trevitt Elementary to launch ParentLinks, providing academic tutoring to support literacy and early childhood education in our community.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated hosted its Emerald Awards Scholarship Gala on October 20, 2018 providing scholarships to students in Columbus.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated partnered with the Twin Rivers (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, Celebrate One, and the City of Columbus for Community Safe Sleep Training for infants.
The Chapter provided a $20,000 contribution to
its OSU Endowment increasing it to $50,000.
COVID-19 Pandemic – The Columbus (OH) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated hosted a virtual community town hall meeting and a panel with health officials.
The Project Lead High Expectations (PLHE) Program, led by the Columbus Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, is a comprehensive opioid prevention initiative that has impacted 8,390 individuals and by 2025 secured over $2.2 million in grants to promote prevention and awareness.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated held the Black Family Wellness Expo, a transformative event dedicated to empowering and educating Black families on maternal health, chronic disease prevention, and overall well-being. Attendees received critical health information along with baby bags, strollers, Pack n Plays, and high chairs.
The Columbus (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated initiated the Link Up to Vote Program which increased voter registration by over 3,600 in underrepresented Columbus Metro communities. Youth participated in voting-themed art competitions, and health initiatives highlighted voting’s impact on healthcare policies. These efforts empowered citizens with essential voting information and fostered long-term civic engagement.