Helen J. Claytor was born and educated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her father was a Pullman porter, who had read law while traveling all over the country on the train. Although he consequently was admitted to law practice in South Dakota, he decided to settle his family in Minneapolis. In his travels he had learned that this city was the best place for his children to receive a good education by attending the University of Minnesota while still living at home.

Claytor graduated Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1928 with a degree in teaching. However, jobs were scarce to non-existent for black teachers so she accepted a job with the YWCA in Trenton, NJ and later in Kansas City. This began a career and life-time commitment that has extended over six decades.

One of her first assignments was to conduct a nationwide study on race relations for the National Board of Directors. This led to travel throughout the country speaking and conducting workshops on the subject. Her travels brought her to Grand Rapids in 1943 where she met Dr. Robert Claytor. After her marriage to Dr. Claytor, she was elected President of the Grand Rapids YWCA, the first black woman to serve in this capacity. In 1967 she was elected to the National Board of Directors and served as president until her retirement in 1973. Helen Claytor also served on the World Council of the YWCA.

In 1967 as President of the National Board, she took a leading role in drafting the YWCA Purpose. During her leadership, all the groups within the YWCA agreed on this one imperative – "the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary."

After the racial problems of the late 1940’s, Mrs. Claytor was appointed to a committed for the city of Grand Rapids to study racial problems in the city. The facts and statistics in the report startled the Commission. The first Human Relations Commission was formed due to this report. It is now the Office of Equal Opportunity.

Her life and leadership has been an inspiration to all women.