Angela Melville’s Trail: Pioneering Credit Unions Then and Now

Born in 1886 in Jamaica, Angela Melville embarked on a remarkable career in the 1920s, dedicating herself to the transformative potential of credit unions. As a field representative for the Credit Union National Extension Bureau (CUNEB, later CUNA, and now America's Credit Unions), she traversed the South, particularly Kentucky and Tennessee, often on horseback, advocating for the establishment of credit unions among various communities.

Angela's commitment extended to assisting women's groups, miners, postal workers, railroad workers, and other laborers in organizing credit unions. Her impact resonates through time, as she authored the pioneering guide to credit union procedures, "Some Hints as to Usual Credit Union Practice," which became a cornerstone for the movement.

After her tenure with CUNEB, Angela shifted to education before retiring in Jamaica, where her advocacy for credit unions persisted. Her legacy lives on at the America’s Credit Union Museum Herstory Exhibit in Manchester, NH.

Fast forward to the present, where I find myself part of the CU De Novo Collective—a passionate group dedicated to the future of credit unions. Initially formed as a support network for three distinct initiatives focused on LGBTQ+ communities, previously incarcerated individuals and their families, and Historically Black Colleges, our collective sheds light on the challenges of establishing credit unions today despite technological advancements.

While we no longer rely on horseback travel, new financial cooperatives are needed. In a digital age, it's surprising that entering, "How to start a credit union," in the Google machine yields results dominated by federal agencies and private entities – state trade associations are conspicuously absent. Here are the top five results:

1.     Starting a New Federal Credit Union - NCUA

2.     Starting a Credit Union - BMA Banking Systems

3.     Find, join or start a credit union - mycreditunion.gov  (refers you to the NCUA)

4.     Somebody Actually Started a New Credit Union - nextcity.org

5.     How to Start a Credit Union - Growthink

Contrary to the collaborative efforts of the League system from the 1930s to the 1970s, which facilitated the chartering of numerous credit unions, our current landscape sees the creation of only a handful each year, juxtaposed against an alarming rate of mergers.

Angela Melville's journey serves as a poignant reminder that creating credit unions should not be an arduous task. Inspired by her spirit, we are determined to streamline the process, ensuring the continued growth of financial cooperatives and honoring the legacy of pioneers like Angela Melville.