History of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs & the California Federation of Women’s Clubs

1. History of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs & the California Federation of Women’s Clubs

2. Our history had it’s roots with the Women’s movements such as suffrage, abolition, and temperance • In 1868, our founder Jane Cunningham Croly, whose pen name was Jennie June, a newspaper reporter was denied admittance to a men’s Press club event because she was a woman • Mrs. Croly  decided to start her own club in New York, called Sorosis

3. What happened next? • Mrs. Croly convened a national convention of Women’s Clubs from all over the USA in 1889 in Seneca Falls • The General Federation of Women’s Club was formed in 1890 • Jennie June started a movement of a vast, untapped and unorganized sisterhood of capable of women that would reshape American society

4. Phoebe Hearst from the Century Club in San Francisco is elected from the floor as the first GFWC Treasurer California becomes part of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, GFWC

5. The California Federation of Women’s Clubs is Born January 1900 the CFWC is formed • Becoming the 37th State to Join the GFWC • The Motto is “Strength United is Stronger” • There are 264 Clubs in the CFWC today

6. One of the first projects was to mark the El Camino Real with Mission Bells • The CFWC in June 1902 lead by Mrs. Forbes & Mrs. Olney in partnership with the Native Daughters of the Golden West implemented the Mission Bell project • The road was not paved at this time • 158 bells were installed by 1915

7. The GFWC & CFWC fight for the passage of The Pure Food & Drug Act Members of the GFWC & the CFWC”spearhead a letter and telegram writing campaign”  to which historians attribute the passing of the Pure Food & Drug Act of 1906

8. The CFWC helps to establish The Juvenile Court System • The Friday Morning Women’s Club with 1,000 members, largest club on the west coast, politically supported a new court system • Miriam Van Waters chaired the Juvenile Court division of the CFWC • Caroline Severance and the Los Angles Women’s Club campaigned for the California Court System

9. The CFWC & the white line on our roads June McCarroll is run off the road by a truck while driving near Indio She paints a white line down the road by herself when no one will listen to her idea The Indio Women’s Club & the CFWC wage a letter writing campaign In 1924 the California Highway Commission paints white lines on 3,500 miles of road at a cost of $163,000

10. What have we done Since 9-11? By 2004 we, the members of GFWC all over the country had raised $180,000 We sent this money to New York City’s Fire Department to purchase one fully equipped ambulance with our GFWC logo on the side Judy Lutz, the GFWC International President dedicates this ambulance from all the members of the GFWC in honor of all the men & women who lost their lives on September 11, 2001

11. We have worked to fill our libraries with books The GFWC started about 75% of the nation’s libraries Our clubs started the first mobile & small libraries We have raised and donated 13.5 million dollars worth of books to libraries from 1997 to about 2003 with our libraries 2000 project The CFWC & other state federations are continuing to donate books to public and school libraries everywhere

12. Come be a part of something very special, The California Federation of Women’s Clubs Contact us at www.cfwc.org Find us on face book at: GFWC California Federation of Women’s Clubs email us at: membership@cfwc.org