Dr. Margaret Brown Payton

​Dr. Margaret Brown Payton, "The Pearl" followed the legacy of our beloved sisterhood of dedicated and committed leadership. From our founder, Dr. Elizabeth Coles Bouey, and eight distinguished servants, our sisterhood has been enriched by the fellowship of ministers' wives and ministers' widows across these United States and abroad. Dr. Payton, moved forward through commitment, experience, leadership, responsibility, knowledge, direction and conceptualization as “A Beloved Sisterhood: Lifting others in Faith, Love, and Prayer.”

​

Payton saw the needs of ministers’ wives and ministers’ widows evolving and offered to bring further development of this transformation. A clarion call was issued to all ministers’ wives and ministers’ widows under the age of fifty-five and younger, “The Payton’s Pearls” later renamed “The International Pearls” was recognized to encourage the younger wives and widows to make full proof of their gifts and talents for the betterment of the organization.

​

Payton remained committed to growth and innovative ideas for 21st-century leadership. A motion was adopted to establish “The IAMWMW Leadership Academy” with a goal of developing leaders and prepare membership for active involvement in the 21st century and beyond.

​

Dedicated to acts of service, Payton’s administration was actively involved in outreach projects: Disaster relief (Hurricane Dorian, The Bahamas); Dress for Success, a global non-profit to achieve economic independence; Meals on Wheels; Feeding America; and The Angel Tree for children of incarcerated parents.

​

The COVID-19 pandemic (2020 - 2023) presented many challenges, but the Payton administration was compelled to utilize technology and digital solutions to maintain the business of the organization via ZOOM, GoToMeeting, and Conference Calling. There were several significant activities presented during the pandemic shutdown: The Department of Education workshop and seminar, Communion services, The Headquarters Mortgage Liquidation Campaign which raised over $160,000.00 and the burning of the Mortgage Ceremony, a virtual Christmas presentation by the President, Vice Presidents, and PK's, the Constitution Review and Ratification via electronic voting, Founder’s Day Awards service, the President’s Annual Address, the Queens’ Coronation ceremony, and a weekly Prayer Call, every Tuesday morning. The first pictorial directory was created and presented at the first in-person Convention in Belleview, Washington, in 2022. Our International Headquarters was painted during this time. Founder’s Day Weekend was held in Washington, DC. in December 2023 and a $50,000.00 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Endowment​ was established.