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Founded in 1890, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) – one of the world oldest nonpartisan, nondenominational women’s volunteer service organizations – is well into its second century of volunteer service in communities throughout the United States and the world.
GFWC traces its roots back to Jane Cunningham Croly, an accomplished New York newspaperwoman, who wrote under the pen name of Jennie June. Indignant that she and other women were denied admittance to a banquet honoring Charles Dickens in 1868 at the all-male New York Press Club simply because they were women, she determined to organize a club for women only.
The name chosen for this club was Sorosis, a Greek word meaning “an aggregation; a sweet flavor of many fruits.”
Although Sorosis’ founders originally supposed they were starting a new movement, they became aware over the years of the existence of other women’s clubs that had formed independently to meet the needs of women in the expanding country.
In 1889, as Sorosis approached its 21st year, Mrs. Croly proposed a conference in New York to bring together delegates from 61 women’s clubs. On the last day of the conference, the women took action to form a permanent organization. A committee to draft a constitution and plan of organization to be ratified the following year was chosen, with Sorosis President Ella Dietz Clymer as chairman. The constitution was adopted in April 1890, and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs was born. It was chartered in 1901 by the U.S. Congress.
To this day, the middle day of the 1890 organizing conference – April 24 – is celebrated as Federation Day.
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