A Timeline of the Y's History

1852 - YMCA Association formed in Washington, D.C.

1853 - Anthony Bowen, a slave who purchased his freedom, founded the first African-American YMCA, in Washington, D.C.

1864 - President Abraham Lincoln signed the official charter for the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington

1869 - One of the first YMCAs featuring a gymnasium opened in Washington, D.C.

1891 - James Naismith invented basketball at an international YMCA training school.

1923 - The first National YMCA Swimming Championship was held, as was the first national YMCA Basketball Championship.

1936 - YMCA Youth and Government Program was founded to help  high school boys and girls understand and participate in the government process.

1970 - Dance exercise classes started at a YMCA, leading to a boom in aerobics offerings across the U.S.

1985 - YMCA's across the country celebrated 100 years of the YMCA camping tradition.

1994 - The YMCA incorporated character development instruction into its curriculum-based child care programs.

2004 - The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington launched the PHD (Physical, Healthy and Driven) Program, which combats childhood obesity and inactivity.

2006 - YMCA aquatics programs celebrated 100 years of teaching America to swim.

Related documents:

Anthony Bowen Fact Sheet