 In 1941, an archive committee was formed to design a plan for collecting works about the achievements of African-American women.Though their plans focused primarily on written records and professional accomplishment and would thus reflect middle-class life, the committee initiated work on collecting historical records of black women.In 1944, Thurman became the committee's chair and her mother donated $1,000 toward creating the National Council of Negro Women's National Library, Archives, and Museum.