“W” is for Women's clubs

“W” is for Women's clubs. The South Carolina women's club movement was a powerful force for social change. It challenged the landscape of the state's conventionalism and supported social reform for all South Carolinians. The core organizations of this movement were the South Carolina Federation of Women's Clubs (SCFWC) and the South Carolina Federation of Colored Women's Clubs (SCFCWC). Like state federated organizations around the nation, members of individual clubs often held membership in numerous organizations. Most of the clubs in these organizations initially were formed for women's self-improvement. However, over time,  the focus of both organizations shifted to social reform and in the case of the SCFCWC to racial reform. The legacy of the women's club movement in South Carolina clearly revealed the commitment of White and Black women to community uplift, social reform, and access to better educational opportunities.