Sorosis Club rules in 1869 Sorosis was the first professional

women's club The woman's club movement was a social movement that took place throughout the United States that established the idea that women had a moral duty and responsibility to transform public policy. While women's organizations had always been a part ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. It was established in March 1868 in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

History

The club was organized in

with 12 members in March 1868, by

Jane Cunningham Croly Jane Cunningham Croly (December 19, 1829 – December 23, 1901) was a British-born American author and journalist, better known by her pseudonym, Jennie June. She was a pioneer author and editor of women's columns in leading newspapers and magaz ...

.''The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge'', vol. 2, 1920, p. 466. Among its founding members were Josephine Pollard, a children's author, and

Fanny Fern Fanny Fern (born Sara Payson Willis; July 9, 1811 – October 10, 1872), was an American novelist, children's writer, humorist, and newspaper columnist in the 1850s to 1870s. Her popularity has been attributed to a conversational style and sense ...

, a popular columnist who had been angered at newspaper women being excluded from the all-male

New York Press Club The New York Press Club, sometimes ''NYPC'', is a private nonprofit membership organization which promotes journalism in the New York City metropolitan area. It is unaffiliated with any government organization and abstains from politics. While the c ...

when it had an honorary dinner for the author

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

the month before. Sorosis was incorporated in January 1869.

Alice Cary Alice Cary (April 26, 1820February 12, 1871) was an American poet, and the older sister of fellow poet Phoebe Cary (1824–1871). Biography Alice Cary was born on April 26, 1820, in Mount Healthy, Ohio, off the Miami River near Cincinnati, Oh ...

was the first president. Within one year, Sorosis had 83 members. Along with Boston's New England Woman's Club (also founded in 1868), Sorosis inspired the formation of women's clubs across the country. Sorosis is a latinate word meaning 'aggregation' (from the Greek ''sōros'', meaning ‘heap’). Its object was to further the educational and social activities of women by bringing representative women of accomplishment in

art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...

literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

science Science is a systematic endeavor that Scientific method, builds and organizes knowledge in the form of Testability, testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earli ...

, and kindred pursuits. Early members of Sorosis were participants in varied professions and political reform movements such as abolitionism, suffrage, prison reform, temperance and peace. Sorosis expanded into local chapters beyond New York City in the early twentieth century and the various chapters went on to organize war relief efforts during both World Wars. Peacetime activities included philanthropy (such as support for funding the

MacDowell Colony MacDowell is an artist's residency program in Peterborough, New Hampshire, United States, founded in 1907 by composer Edward MacDowell and his wife, pianist and philanthropist Marian MacDowell. Prior to July 2020, it was known as the MacDowel ...

), scholarship funds, and social reforms (such as literary training for immigrant women). In later years, Sorosis focused its activities on local projects, raising money for the aid of other women's clubs, funding scholarships for women, and aiding local rescue missions. Sorosis was among the 63 clubs that formed the

General Federation of Women's Clubs The General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), founded in 1890 during the Progressive Movement, is a federation of over 3,000 women's clubs in the United States which promote civic improvements through volunteer service. Many of its activities ...

in 1890. The

University of Texas at San Antonio The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is a Public university, public research university in San Antonio, Texas. With over 34,000 students across its four campuses spanning 758 acres, UTSA is the Education in San Antonio, largest universi ...

houses a collection of records for the San Antonio chapter of Sorosis. The collection spans the years 1923 through 1991 and provides information about the club's members and activities primarily through minutes, photographs, scrapbooks and yearbooks.

Notable members

Elizabeth Akers Allen Elizabeth Akers Allen (pen name, Florence Percy; October 9, 1832 – August 7, 1911), was an American poet and journalist. Her early poems appeared over the signature of "Florence Percy", and many of them were first published in the ''Portland Tra ...

, poet and journalist * Celia M. Burleigh, activist for women's rights. *

, first president of Sorosis *

R. Belle Colver Rhoda Belle Colver (October 3, 1882 - January 24, 1977) was the Club Editor of ''The Spokesman-Review'' in Spokane. Early life Rhoda Belle Colver was born in Missouri Valley, Iowa, on October 3, 1882, the daughter of James E. (1859-1915) and Em ...

, Spokane *

, first vice-president of Sorosis *

Emily Faithfull Emily Faithfull (27 May 1835 – 31 May 1895) was an English women's rights activist who set up the Victoria Press to publish the '' English Woman's Journal''. Biography Emily Faithfull was born on 27 May 1835 at Headley Rectory, Surrey. She w ...

, honorary foreign member *

, columnist *

Kate Field Mary Katherine Keemle "Kate" Field ( pen name, Straws, Jr.; October 1, 1838 – May 19, 1896) was an American journalist, correspondent, editor, lecturer, and actress, of eccentric talent. She never married. She seemed ready to give an opinio ...

, first corresponding secretary of Sorosis * Fannie Smith Goble, president and treasurer of Spokane Sorosis Club *

Phebe Ann Coffin Hanaford Phebe Ann Coffin Hanaford (May 6, 1829 — June 2, 1921) was a Christian Universalist minister and biographer who was active in championing universal suffrage and women's rights. She was the first woman ordained as a Universalist minister in Ne ...

, minister and suffragist * Sophia Curtiss Hoffman, philanthropist * Jennie de la Montagnie Lozier, physician, president * Virgie McFarland, member * Rebecca A. Morse * Jessie Fremont O'Donnell (1860–1897), writer * Josephine Pollard, children's author *

Emily Warren Roebling Emily Warren Roebling (September 23, 1843 – February 28, 1903) was an engineer known for her contributions over a period of more than 10 years to the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge after her husband Washington Roebling developed caiss ...

, assistant to and wife of Washington A. Roebling, Brooklyn Bridge Chief Engineer * Kate Funk Simpson * Isabel Elizabeth Smith, chairman of the art committee * May Riley Smith, poet, president of the club 1911-1915, honorary president 1919-1927 * M. Louise Thomas (1822-1907), fourth president *

Phoebe Jane Babcock Wait Phoebe Jane Babcock Wait (September 30, 1838 - 1904) was an American physician. Early life Phoebe Jane Babcock Wait was born in Westerly, Rhode Island, on September 30, 1838. She was one of a family of eight daughters and three sons. Career Her ...

, physician

References

External links

University of Texas collection of records
for the San Antonio chapter of Sorosis (1923–1991)
Sorosis records
at the

Sophia Smith Collection The Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College is an internationally recognized repository of manuscripts, photographs, periodicals and other primary sources in women's history. General One of the largest recognized repositories of manuscripts, a ...

, Smith College Special Collections
Article about Sorosis
at

About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...

{{Authority control Sorosis Sorosis History of women in New York City Women's clubs in the United States Sorosis

History

Notable members

See also

References

Further reading

External links