Women’s History and Resource Center
2020-2022 Emphasis: Encourage member participation in diverse club and community projects developed to preserve the past, promote the present, and inspire the future.
How are you and your club preserving the past and promoting the present? Here are a few ideas:
- It is not too early to develop a proactive public awareness program by offering GFWC history stories to your local news media for Women’s History Month (March), Federation Day (April 24), and Archives Month (October).
- Clubs can partner with local historical institutions to promote the role of your club in local history.
- Host a showing of the GFWC PowerPoint “This Old House”. The WHRC Committee has recently added a scripted, PowerPoint presentation to the list of members-only WHRC Resources. “This Old House” was originally prepared in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the opening of the Women’s History and Resource Center. It has been updated to provide an “armchair tour” of our magnificent, historic home. The PowerPoint slides and historical narrative documents are available in the Member Portal’s Digital.
- Clubs and Members can always make donations in honor or memory of a special clubwoman to GFWC-NC, GFWC-WHRC, your local Historical Society, or Museum.
You can support the GFWC Women’s History and Resource Center by purchasing one of the WHRC Heritage Pins. The pin is a replica of the rising sun pin, GFWC’s original emblem is available in GFWC’s Marketplace. Purchase of the Heritage Pin allows each of us to help preserve GFWC’s historic collection of International Past Presidents’ portraits. The collection of 51 portraits is displayed on the third floor of 1728 N Street. The lack of climate control in the building has taken a significant toll on many of the portrait frames. Proceeds from the Heritage Pin will be used to repair or, as necessary, replace damaged frames. The price of the pin is $15.00
About the design: In 1892, the Committee on the Federation Badge Pin was created to design an image that would reflect the aim of GFWC. Appointees included GFWC’s founder, Jane Cunningham Croly, and its first president, Charlotte Emerson Brown. The Committee chose the sun’s rays and the color blue as elements to symbolize the Federation. The resulting pin, GFWC’s original emblem, featured an image of the rising sun in a blue sky above snow-capped mountains with its rays illuminating “GFWC” in block lettering. An upturned, russet-colored banner displayed the motto, “Unity in Diversity.”
The WHRC Heritage Pin offers a faithful facsimile of the original emblem on an updated lapel pin with a magnetic back. Proceeds from the sale of the WHRC Heritage Pin will be used to repair or replace portrait frames in GFWC’s historic collection of GFWC International Past Presidents’ portraits. The pin is available for purchase through the GFWC Marketplace.