History

The GFWC Maryland Federation of Women's Clubs, Inc. has a long and exemplary history. While no one is entirely sure which club was organized first, the MD clubs started forming around 1872 in the Baltimore area. In October of 1899 several of these clubs met with the idea of forming a state federation. In December of 1899 a constitution was adopted. There were 19 Charter Clubs. The first annual meeting of the MD Federation was held in March of 1900 in the Baltimore area and in April of 1900 MFWC was admitted to the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

The General Federation of Women's Clubs was founded in 1890 but traces its roots back to 1868 when an accomplished newspaperwoman, Jane Cunningham Croly, was denied admittance to a banquet honoring Charles Dickens at the all-male New York Press Club. She organized an all-woman club (Sorosis) and held another banquet honoring Mr. Dickens. The Sorosis Club members soon learned of other women's clubs and proposed a conference. In 1889 the delegates from 61 clubs met in New York City and the new constitution and organizational plans were adopted in 1890. The US Congress chartered the GFWC in 1901. The national headquarters is now located in Washington, DC. See their Web site at www.gfwc.org for more information.

For more information about Maryland's history, visit the Maryland State Archives.