Victorine Q. Adams
When Victorine Q. Adams passed away at the age of 93 in January 2006, she left a powerful legacy spanning decades of involvement in politics, education and social issues.
A pioneer for black women seeking political office, she was the first black woman elected to the Baltimore City Council and also served in the Maryland House of Delegates. Mrs. Adams was a mentor to many aspiring politicians and at the time of her death, black women held three of the top four citywide elected positions. Baltimore City now has all four citywide elected positions held by black women.
According to an article by Gregory Kane in the January 11, 2006 editions of the Baltimore Sun, “If that happens (all four offices held by black women) it might be a historic first not only for Baltimore but for the nation. Inevitably, someone will ask who should rightfully get the credit. The answer will be simple: Victorine Q. Adams.”
Her story began in the loving and nurturing home of her parents, Joseph C. and Estelle Tate Quille, who instilled early in her life the importance of faith and education. Her education at Douglas High School, Coppin and Morgan State universities led Mrs. Adams into a teaching career. For 14 years she taught school and shaped the values of many young people.
Social issues, especially those surrounding the impoverished, were also an important part of Mrs. Adams’ life. It was a tragedy in the winter of 1978 in Baltimore caused by a family lacking utility service that spurred Mrs. Adams to action. Using all of her political and educational skills she approached then Mayor William Donald Schaefer and the late City Council President Walter Orlinsky about the idea of a fund to help people with their energy bills.
With support from the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company and others, the Baltimore Fuel Fund was formed. The fund is now known as the Victorine Q. Adams Fuel Fund in her honor. This fledgling concept of a fuel fund spread across the nation.
Out of the burgeoning fuel fund movement, a need developed for a national organization to assist in the sharing of information by the growing number of fuel funds. The National Fuel Funds Network (NFFN) was formed to meet this need. Mrs. Adams was a stalwart supporter of and mentor to the NFFN. She always tried to come up with creative ways to raise contributions for low-income energy assistance, whether it was from her annual Christmas card solicitation or standing with a jar at Baltimore’s Harborplace during Paddle for People, an annual fundraiser held by the Fuel Fund of Maryland for many years.
Toward the end of her life, Mrs. Adams wanted to help the NFFN start a program that would encourage fuel funds to incorporate the best fundraising practices in their programs and to employ new methods for raising funds for energy assistance. With initial funding coming from the Adams Foundation and a matching grant from the Baltimore Gas & Electric Company, her dream is coming to fruition in the first Victorine Q. Adams Fundraising Institute to be held in Baltimore in September 2008.