The AAUW (formerly known as the American Association of University Women) was formed in 1881. The Syracuse Branch, which is heavily represented in this collection, was founded in 1889. There was also a Cazenovia Branch founded in 1969, for which there are several folders in the collection.
Members of the AAUW are women who have graduated from college with a Baccalaureate degree or higher. Today there are over 100,000 members in over 1,000 branches.
The mission of AAUW is to "advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research." To this end, branches meet regularly, plan and host events, work towards program, legislative and membership activities, and fundraise for AAUW scholarship awards. AAUW emphasizes advocacy for women and women's rights. The national organization has several periodical publications, Graduate Woman and Outlook, and occasionally publishes research material like How Schools Shortchange Girls as well as other material like The Change Management Toolkit to help members become more effective. Additionally, the branches regularly publish newsletters for local members.
More information is available on the AAUW's website at http://www.aauw.org/
From the guide to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Syracuse Branch, Records., 1923-2011, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)
