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American Association of University Women (AAUW) Records, South Carolina Division

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Organizational History

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to education, cultural opportunities, and self-development for women.

Founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1882 as the Association of Collegiate Alumnae (ACA) by sixty-five female college graduates, it merged with the Southern Association of College Women (est. 1903) in March 1921 to form the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

Initially established for women only, the AAUW extended membership to male college graduates in June 1987. AAUW expanded their membership again in June 2005 to include graduates who hold an associate or equivalent degree.

The State Council was organized in November 1924 and Jessie Stokely Burnett, first president of the Greenville Branch, was elected the first state president (1924-1927). The first Division meeting was held in Greenville, November 13, 1925.