By Shirley A. Brown, Sectional Director
It was a tremulous era in our history. Lynching, racism and sexism were running rampant in the United States. There was a desire in the hearts of educated black college women to have an opportunity to fellowship and interchange ideas with Caucasian women who were members of the American Association of University Women. For three years a concerted effort was made to gain membership into this organization. Finally, in March 1910 Dr. Mary Church Terrell, Dr. Sara Brown, Dr. Nancy Fairfax Brown, and Miss Mary Cromwell conceived the idea of organizing an association
of their own. |
 Dr. Mary Church Terrell |
 Dr. Sara Brown |
 Dr. Nancy Fairfax Brown |
 Miss Mary Cromwell |
Out of this meeting came the organization of the College Alumnae Club of Washington, D.C. These women were interested in promoting professional excellence, personal influence for civic good; and forge the bonds of intellectual fellowship among college educated women. |
This Organization continued to thrive; by 1922 there were seven additional branches. In 1924 these branches decided to expand and incorporate under the laws of the District of Columbia and became known as the National Association of College Women. Miss Lucy Diggs Slowe, Dean of Women at Howard University was the first national president. |
 Miss Lucy Diggs Slowe |
 Adelaide Dunn |
In 1954, Adelaide Dunn, a young woman from Dayton, Ohio, a former member of the Dayton Branch of the National Association of University Women moved to Los Angeles. Longing for the fellowship of other university women, she organized the Los Angeles Branch in 1954. This charted the course for the southwest with Alyce Robinson serving as the branch's first President and Adelaide Dunn serving as the first Sectional Director of the Southwest Section. |
| Ten years later, in 1964, Adelaide with the assistance of R.C. Ola Brown founded the Compton Branch of the National Association of University Women. In 1976 the branch officially became known as the South Bay Branch. |  R.C. Ola Brown |
As the Southwest Section continued to increase its numbers, the Culver City Branch was founded in 1985 with Annie Nell Hill serving as its first Piggee and Bettye Barnes-Roberts. The Citrus Heights Branch was organized in 1986 and Capitol was organized in 1987. At the 19th Southwest Sectional Conference held in February 1988, two new branches, Inglewood and West Coast Cities, were chartered. Founding presidents were Sallye Chapple for Inglewood and Julia B. Williams for West Coast Cities. Reaching outside the California area, membership was activated in the Las Vegas area in August 1997 with Lydia Edwards serving as the branch's first president. |
Responding to the call for increased membership, Carrie A. Haynes founded and organized the South Central Los Angeles Branch in July 1999 with Jean Lewis serving as president. Carrie A. Haynes served as the Forever Emerald Seventeenth National President from 1986-1990. She resides in the Southwest Section. Josephine Bolden is the founder of the Compton Branch in 2000 with Jacquelyn McGee served one year and a half to complete the term of Jacquelyn. In San Jose, California area in May 2002, the Silicon Valley Branch was chartered with Helen L. Donald as Founder and first president. The Santa Monica Branch was chartered in June 2003 with Sallie Gibson founder and president. Ms. Gibson subsequently became Sectional Director of the Southwest Section. |
 Sallie Gibson |
 Audrey Jordan |
Rising to the challenge to increase membership, newly installed Sectional Director, Audrey Jordan immediately began work to bring in new branches. As a result of her hard work, the Inland Empire Branch, chartered May, 2009, in Fontana, California. Deborah Davis is serving as its first president. Forever challenged by a commitment to excellence. a desire for service and a dedication to shape the course of history within the Southwest Section, we acknowledge and salute our past Sectional Directors: Adelaide Dunn (deceased), R.C. Ola Brown, Velma Diaz-lnfantes (deceased), lnez Wauls (deceased). Marion Phillips (deceased), Verna Warren (deceased), Grace Robinson (deceased), Beverly Jackson (deceased), Dr. Mary Ellen Maddox, Pauline McGriff-Smith, Shirley Brown, Josephine Bolden, and Sallie Gibson. They were the guiding forces in promoting many outstanding branch programs and services to members of our communities. |
 Velma Diaz-Infante* |
 Inez Wauls* |
 Marian Phillips* |
 Verna Warren* |
 Grace Robinson* |
 Beverly Jackson* |
 Mary Ellen Maddox |
 Pauline McGriff-Smith |
 Shirley Brown |
 Josephine Bolden |
*(deceased)