Our History

For almost 120 years, the Seattle Branch of AAUW has been going strong, advancing gender equity through research, education, and advocacy. The national AAUW organization was started in 1881 in Boston by a small group of women college graduates led by Dr. Marion Talbot. Originally known as the Association of Collegiate Alumnae (ACA), the organization wanted to persuade colleges to be more accepting of women and to support the achievements and activities of educated women. The movement grew across the country, as local branches and state organizations were formed.

Seattle Branch was formed in 1904 with 13 charter members. It was the first Washington State branch of the ACA. Seattle Branch was incorporated in 1952 and is the oldest of the 33 AAUW branches in Washington State.

In its earliest days, branch members met five times a year. We made our first gesture of international friendliness by having French actress Mme. Sarah Bernhardt as our guest of honor.

In 1909, Seattle Branch participated in the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition by constructing a social welfare exhibit under the direction of Dr. Anna Louise Strong, an early Seattle social activist.

During this time, the Juvenile Court system was found to be unsatisfactory. Our branch secured the retirement of an undesirable probation officer and the hoped-for reform resulted.  Seattle Branch also supported a series of lectures and luncheon meetings on topics ranging from education to politics. Speakers from as far away as Boston were invited. Important to our branch was a committee on legislation, which kept us in touch with state and national policies on education and the general welfare of children and women. The cause of women teachers demanding equal pay was supported.

In 1921, ACA became AAUW (American Association of University Women). In that same timeframe, Seattle Branch contributed $33 toward the grant fund to purchase a gram of radium for Madame Marie Curie to support her groundbreaking scientific research. Supporting AAUW Fellowships and Grants was an early focus of Seattle Branch. By 1927, there were 10 AAUW branches in Washington, and the AAUW of Washington State organization was formed during a conference at the Monticello Hotel in Longview. Seattle Branch member Miss Bertha Chapman was the secretary of the new group, whose first major endeavor was to formally join the effort to raise money for the Million Dollar Fellowship Fund.

In 1927, Seattle Branch hosted a tea at the Henry Memorial Art Gallery on the UW campus for AAUW women attending the National Education Association Convention in Seattle. Dr. Aurelia Henry Reinhardt, president of the national AAUW, and her uncle, Mr. Horace C. Henry, museum founder, were guests of honor. In 1928, branch member Bertha Landes was elected as Mayor of Seattle — the first woman mayor of a city of this size.

The Depression years were active for the Branch, which protested attractive packaging for cigarettes and alcohol, investigated women’s positions in industry in Washington, held a symposium on state welfare plans, and advocated for the establishment of a birth control clinic at King County Hospital (1938).

World War II saw even more efforts, including compiling the Statewide Directory of Social Welfare Services (1941), supporting women in military service, women in white-collar jobs, and supporting refugees. During the restrictions of the war years, Seattle Branch continued raising money for women in education. In 1942, there was no Fellowship Tea because of the shortages, but each member gave $1.25.  Tea was still served at branch meetings, but members bringing guests had to supply extra sugar for them.

In 1949, Seattle Branch, under the leadership of president Dr. Winifred Weter, hosted the National Convention, held at the Olympic Hotel. The convention was historic in that AAUW revised its bylaws to state that the only requirement for membership was a college degree, thereby reaffirming that women college graduates of all races were eligible for membership. 

Seattle Branch reached its highest membership of nearly 600 members in 1954. After that, there was a trend to form new, smaller branches in local suburbs, and many members split away to join now-familiar branches in the greater Puget Sound area.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, there was much emphasis on legislative issues. Washington AAUW was a major promoter of the nation’s first Public Disclosure law, the first Women’s Commission, and the first state to require telephone companies to list women’s names along with their husbands’ names in directories upon request. In 1971, Seattle Branch began administering the Robe Loan Fund for students studying in the medical and history departments at the UW. Money for the fund ($3000) was bequeathed to the branch by the husband of Dorothy Robe, who had borrowed funds from the branch in 1924 during her senior year. While the loan program was discontinued in 1998, Seattle Branch has maintained education funding as a priority.

In 1975 the AAUW National Convention was again held in Seattle, at the Seattle Center. Two of the main topics discussed were the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and nuclear power.

In 1979, Seattle Branch celebrated its diamond jubilee.  At that time, the branch had 450 members, 22 special-interest groups and many of our members were teachers. The organization continued to evolve nationally and at the local level, with education and advocacy projects often driven by the research done by the national organization. Seattle Branch participates in the Washington State Lobby Day, which has been held annually since 1984. In 1988, Seattle Branch conducted the first Expanding Your Horizons Conference in Science and Mathematics, which encouraged middle school girls to study those fields by participating in hands-on workshops led by women in STEM careers. In 2001, the branch added Scholar Recognition to encourage high school women in the STEM fields.

In 2004, Seattle Branch held a 100th birthday celebration gala at the Women’s University Club.  AAUW members from around the state celebrated with us.

As we approach nearly two decades into our second 100 years, Seattle Branch continues with our education focus, especially STEM. We’ve been integrally involved with Tech Trek since 2013 and continue our STEM Scholar Recognition program. We have a longtime partnership with the UW Women’s Center and, in 2019, instituted a College Scholarship program for young women in our area, as well as continuing our longstanding support AAUW Fellowships and Grants. In 2012, we established the Mary Lou Hughes Research & Projects Grant Fund in memory of our longtime member.  Endowed in 2016, the Grant is now awarded to deserving applicants each year.

For more information on our history, see our Past Presidents series:
Past Presidents Present-1990
Past Presidents 1989-1962
Past Presidents 1961-1935
Past Presidents 1935-1904