History

AAUW was founded in Boston, Massachusetts by eighteen college-educated women in 1881.  Smart and skilled they had limited job opportunities and no voting rights.

In 1865 they achieved their first research project affirming that higher education would not affect their health, especially reproductive health.  Their second project, to obtain voting rights, took another 40 years.  Women’s Suffrage was achieved with the 19th amendment in 1920.

AAUW is now a nationwide organization with over 170,000 members.  Today it advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.

Examples of what AAUW does:

  1. Advocacy: promotes legislation with elected officials.
  2. Education: gives grants to women to continue higher education and to girls to attend leadership conferences. It’s project “Elect Her-Campus Women Win” encourages women and girls to run for public office.
  3. Philanthropy: women raise money to fund domestic and international projects.
  4. Research: EF (Educational Foundation) and LAF (Legal Advocacy Fund) are the two main vehicles of

EF sponsors educational research on a different topic each year.  For example, ”Short Changing Girls, Short Changing America” and “Hostile Hallways.”  The theme for 2014 is “Sexual Assault on Campus.”

LAF gives legal council to victims of sex discrimination in schools and at the workplace.  Even a partial grant from AAUW gives a boost to the plaintiff’s case.

We are proud that AAUW has been given permanent UN status as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)

AAUW has opened its membership to men.

Smithtown Area AAUW was founded in 1973 with 38 charter members. We have always supported the legislative and philanthropic efforts of the Association in Washington DC.Locally, we provided awards to graduates from 5 high schools when our membership was at a peak 125. Annual events include a Book and Author Luncheon, a holiday party where we collect needed items for the victims of domestic violence, and attendance at District conferences for all the Branches on Long Island. Our literature discussion group meets every month for a lively exchange. Join us for fellowship, fun, and fund raising.