Wilson was born in Denver, Colorado and educated in
Denver public schools. As an adult, she described her childhood self as “a troubled young girl who wanted to do good”. Wilson felt “aimless and unproductive” Before her political/activist career, Wilson “became active in a number of social and civic movements and served as a Worthy Matron of the
Order of the Eastern Star, a group with which she remained actively affiliated for a number of years.” The ethos of the Economic Council was to play a supporting role in the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), founded by
A Phillip Randolph in 1925, though there was an "open membership policy that allowed the women to address non-union matters." While in regards to female stereotyping, the Economic Council strived "to overcome such stereotypes, and to present a positive image by stressing organization, race, pride, and cultural uplift.", the group never actually challenged the idea that women were subordinate to men at the time.
International Ladies’ Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters In 1937, at the directive of A. Philip Randolph, the Colored Women's Economic Council merged to form the Ladies Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, with Wilson at the helm. Wilson saw her role as president to be that of an educator, writing several articles for the
Black Worker, setting up a scholarship fund for local members, fundraising for the union, and encouraging all local chapters to run local educational campaigns focused on the benefits of unionization. Wilson was also a huge proponent of co-ops, and wanted to ensure that women who were members of the ladies auxiliary, whether employed or unemployed, were conscious of their buying power. She leveraged consumer cooperatives in the auxiliary, attempting to ensure that money stayed within the labor movement rather than being used for sellers that did not support them. These activities "shows how the co-op strategy was developed among Black activists between 1935 and 1952, and sheds light on African American women’s roles in advancing and implementing that strategy." ==Later years==