American Association of University Women, Riverside Branch Records, 1948-2023 | Illinois History and Lincoln Collections

This collection consists of records from the Riverside, IL branch of the American Association of University Women. The Riverside branch aimed to empower women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Records include administrative materials, minutes, scrapbooks, newsletters, and other materials.

The American Association of University Women began in 1881 when seventeen women in Boston formed the Association of Collegiate Alumnae for the purpose of uniting the alumnae of different institutions for practical educational work. In 1889 it merged with the Western Association of College Women under the ACA name. A final union with the Southern Association of College Women in 1921 brought about the present AAUW.

The Riverside branch of AAUW was founded in 1948. The founding president was Mrs. L. E. Arthur, and the branch had 41 members during its first year. After 75 years, the branch disbanded in 2023 due to declining membership.

The collection offers insight into the administrative functions of the branch, including many meeting minutes, reports, branch bylaws, financial records, and branch newsletters. The collection also includes many documents relating to events that the AAUW Riverside Branch organized and participated in, such as the Riverside Garden Walks, scholarships for teenage girls, and the 1987 Bicentennial Lecture Series. Additionally, the Publicity and Photographs series includes many newspaper clippings and photographs compiled by the branch from 1980 to 2014, as well as 7 scrapbooks from 1948 to 1988 containing newspaper clippings, photographs, and administrative materials.

The Library acquired this collection from the American Association of University Women, Riverside Branch in 2023.