From serving free meals to local kids, nutrition education, cooking classes, markets to combat food deserts and more, the J.A. Henry Y continues to strive for A Better Us.®
The History of our Y:
The James A. Henry Y began as the Ninth Street YMCA of Chattanooga and was dedicated on Tuesday, October 8, 1902. The featured speaker was Booker T. Washington.
In 1929, the YMCA rented space at 302 E. 9th Street (at the corner of Ninth and Houston St.) which included a gym, meeting room, reading rooms, locker and shower facilities. In 1953, the Ninth Street YMCA closed, at the time, more than 4,000 men held active memberships and the facility had served over 100,000 men, boys, soldiers and visitors.
Following the closure, the facility was renamed "The James A. Henry YMCA." The name was chosen in honor of James A. Henry, who was one of the foremost African-American educators in the South, and served the Chattanooga school system for 29 years.
In Dec. of 1960, Dr. King Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Chattanooga, with the J.A. Henry Y featured prominently in his visit. Before Dr. King’s speech at the Memorial Auditorium he was the featured guest at a dinner held in the gymnasium of the J.A. Henry Y.
Help fight early childhood hunger in our community by donating a few hours of your time to pack or distribute healthy meals. Invite your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and beyond to get involved and find their Y!
Increase energy, decrease stress, prevent illness, maintain a healthy weight, find personal balance, and enjoy quality time with family and friends... at the Y! We combine spirit, mind, and body in an integrated approach to well-being that goes beyond just fitness.
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