In the early twentieth century in the American South, Black women teachers were especially dedicated to the creation of community and local institutions. They not only supported and taught Black history, but also created key texts that enabled a more accurate accounting of Black history. Educational leaders such as Nannie Helen Burroughs, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Charlotte Hawkins Brown were not just educators, but political leaders as they educated parents, community members, and their students for citizenship and for economic self-sufficiency. In this article, we present institution-building as a central thread to suggest ways that teachers can integrate the history of African American women into the social studies curriculum.