The values of private association and self-help through individual effort have been a compelling aspect of the American philosophy. Reaffirming Americanism was not the only reason that immigrant or minority groups created mutual aid or self-help societies, however, since immediate economic and social goals were significant motivations for such associations. Because studying self-help and mutual assistance groups can aid the understanding of minorities in this country, this project was undertaken with the goal of developing materials for classroom use in high school history classes. The story of Victoria Earle Matthews, a founding member of the National Conference of Colored Women in 1895 and supporter of residences for urban black women, illustrates the importance of self-help for minority groups. The Young Men's Hebrew Association of New York is another example of a self-help group at work. A historical overview of black independent schools also explores the role of mutual aid associations. Each of these essays contains a bibliography, but a general bibliography is included in Part 2 of the report, which contains classroom materials and assignments on mutual aid associations. (SLD)