Massachusetts Federation of Republican Women - National History

Republican women's units have existed for over 100 years. They were originally inspired by the Republican Platform of 1872, which said: "The Republican Party is mindful of its obligation to the loyal women of America for their noble devotion to the cause of Freedom." With that, Republican women's units were off and running. The oldest unit on record was founded in Salt Lake City in the late 1800s.

Under the direction of Miss Marion E. Martin then Assistant Chairman of the Republican National Committee and national Committeewoman for Maine, and with the encouragement of RNC Chairman John D. M. Hamilton, an organizational meeting took place in Chicago on November 4, 1937. Thirty-eight women members of the Republican National Committee met to discuss the "desirability" of federating.

The National Federation of Republican Women was founded at a conference held at the Palmer House in Chicago, September 23-24, 1938. The delegates adopted rules for governing the establishment of a National Federation of Women's Republican Clubs, to promote education along political lines and to encourage the following purposes:

"To foster and encourage loyalty to the Republican Party and the ideals for which it stands; to foster cooperation between independent groups and the regular party organization, which are working for the same objectives, namely sound government; to promote interchange of ideas and experiences of various clubs to the end that the policies which have proven particularly effective in one state may be adopted in another; and to encourage a national attitude and approach to the problems facing the Republican Party."

The organization was originally known as the National Federation of Women's Republican Clubs of America (NFWRC). The name was changed in January 1953, to the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW).