20:
83:. The stated objectives of the club were "to promote the female intellect by encouraging a spirit of research in literary fields and provide an intellectual center for the women of Memphis." The club was immediately successful, with membership steadily rising and peaking at around 1,400 members in 1926.
160:
The club remains in existence. In 1926, the club acquired a mansion built in 1906 by
Rowland Darnell, a great lumber magnate of Memphis, and remained there for over 20 years. The mansion was eventually sold as membership continued to decline over the years. A legal battle took place over ownership
111:
met for the first time in a southern city at its 20th annual meeting with the
Nineteenth Century Club. Founding member Clara Conway made the opening remarks, stating that women "were impatient with incompleteness" and were eager to move away from leisure to become productive members of society.
103:
The activism promoted by the club was described as a very selfless and feminine brand of activism. Despite the many disclaimers, the movement did signal a "new sense of power and capacity among
American women", particularly in the South. The club motto was "Influence is Responsibility", which
91:
In 1891, one of the four committees in the club was "Philanthropy and Reform", which attempted to influence
Memphis officials. The members wanted to participate in the development of the city and inject women's "gentler spirit" and more "loving wisdom" into
143:
branch of the club established the
Hamburg Public Library in an effort to enrich the community and improve education. At that time, the club had limited membership of 19 women, including several librarians and teachers. In 1901, the Hamburg Business
100:, members made many assurances that the goal was not radical political upheaval, cautioning against ambition and arguing that activism made was merely "housekeeping" that was extended to the "family" of the city community.
431:
47:. The Nineteenth Century Club adopted the idea that the community was an extended "household" that would benefit from the "gentler spirit" and "uplifting influence" of women, and shifted towards
790:
1624:
1228:
132:
Anti-Tuberculosis
Society, and founded a new city hospital. They also played an important role in the West Tennessee State Normal School, which later came to be known as the
401:
64:
1555:
51:. The club primarily focused on the needs of women and children, addressing public problems such as sanitation, health, education, employment, and labor conditions.
1296:
1025:
600:
59:
The club was founded in May 1890 following an assembly of elite white women at the Gayoso Hotel in
Memphis. The founding members included the women activists
1301:
60:
826:
416:
868:
486:
1609:
355:
466:
1322:
1119:
1223:
1619:
396:
1249:
406:
1140:
988:
847:
1614:
1020:
952:
1604:
1244:
1505:
957:
511:
386:
108:
889:
1629:
436:
348:
1452:
1348:
921:
501:
471:
456:
1363:
686:
620:
537:
421:
1421:
926:
506:
491:
149:
1343:
1093:
805:
1378:
1368:
1275:
1155:
660:
341:
275:
258:
224:
161:
and historical preservation of the mansion, eventually resulting in a restoration and conversion into a restaurant.
1358:
1175:
1160:
1057:
461:
1383:
1165:
1004:
717:
640:
446:
40:
1393:
1353:
691:
300:
1442:
1088:
1078:
610:
516:
1484:
1259:
1041:
1124:
962:
655:
569:
426:
1447:
1407:
1373:
1109:
947:
852:
831:
810:
738:
650:
481:
391:
68:
1468:
1191:
1114:
873:
707:
665:
553:
411:
1579:
1437:
1145:
758:
753:
645:
574:
364:
129:
24:
1083:
905:
795:
743:
615:
584:
579:
1254:
1207:
800:
748:
451:
333:
972:
722:
712:
496:
476:
133:
1388:
630:
72:
8:
967:
774:
1530:
605:
121:
44:
188:
254:
247:
220:
140:
97:
93:
120:
Successful campaigns secured a police matron at the city jail, established a female
1280:
48:
214:
125:
80:
670:
635:
19:
432:
Daughters of the
Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World
1598:
1500:
1327:
625:
441:
145:
148:
took over management of the library and formed the
Library Association. The
942:
76:
36:
1150:
1073:
327:
791:
Chicago and
Northern District Association of Colored Women's Clubs
1170:
1229:
Federation of Women's Clubs for Oklahoma and Indian Territories
363:
213:
Bond, Beverly Greene; Freeman, Sarah Wilkerson (2015-07-01).
402:
Association of Southern Women for the Prevention of Lynching
189:"Nineteenth Century Club | Entries | Tennessee Encyclopedia"
521:
1556:
First National Conference of the Colored Women of America
104:
epitomized their feelings of accountability for society.
249:
Elite Women and the Reform Impulse in Memphis, 1875-1915
1625:
Women's political advocacy groups in the United States
1297:
General Federation of Women's Clubs of South Carolina
1026:
Mississippi State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
601:
California State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
152:
chartered the library in 1902, and it remains open.
1302:South Carolina Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
246:
827:Indiana State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
467:National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
193:The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture
1596:
869:Topeka Council of Colored Women's Clubs Building
216:Tennessee Women: Their Lives and Times--Volume 2
330:- the modern day version of the historical club
282:. Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System
397:Associated Daughters of Early American Witches
301:"Rowland J. Darnell and the 19th Century Club"
349:
328:The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association
96:. While the activities of the club empowered
23:The Nineteenth Century Club, in the historic
1224:Oklahoma Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
276:"The Legacy of the Nineteenth Century Club"
212:
953:Colored Female Religious and Moral Society
356:
342:
1610:Organizations based in Memphis, Tennessee
1141:Empire State Federation of Women's Clubs
989:Ladies' Library Association of Kalamazoo
848:Iowa Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
387:American Association of University Women
109:Association for the Advancement of Women
18:
1021:Mississippi Federation of Women's Clubs
1597:
280:Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
244:
186:
958:New England Woman's Press Association
512:Women's Joint Congressional Committee
472:National Society of New England Women
457:National Association of Colored Women
337:
86:
16:Memphis, Tennessee-based women's club
890:Kentucky Federation of Women's Clubs
422:Daughters of the American Revolution
240:
238:
236:
182:
180:
178:
176:
174:
927:Maryland Woman Suffrage Association
522:Young Women's Christian Association
492:United Daughters of the Confederacy
437:General Federation of Women's Clubs
417:Daughters of the American Colonists
195:. The University of Tennessee Press
187:Wedell, Marsha (25 December 2009).
150:New York State Education Department
13:
1620:Women's clubs in the United States
1349:Texas Association of Women's Clubs
1344:Daughters of the Republic of Texas
922:Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore
502:Women's Christian Temperance Union
14:
1641:
1615:Organizations established in 1890
1369:Dallas Equal Suffrage Association
1364:Texas Federation of Women's Clubs
507:Women's National Republican Club
321:
273:
233:
171:
1605:1890 establishments in Tennessee
1359:Texas Equal Suffrage Association
1161:Equal Suffrage League (Brooklyn)
462:National Council of Jewish Women
806:Frederick Douglass Woman's Club
487:United States Daughters of 1812
219:. University of Georgia Press.
1354:Texas Equal Rights Association
538:Alabama's Colored Women's Club
293:
267:
206:
1:
1630:History of women in Tennessee
245:Wedell, Marsha (1991-01-01).
164:
155:
107:In 1892, the Congress of the
1166:Newswomen's Club of New York
641:Hollywood Women's Press Club
447:Ladies' Memorial Association
253:. Univ. of Tennessee Press.
115:
98:female influence in politics
7:
427:Daughters of the Cincinnati
407:Colonial Dames XVII Century
54:
10:
1646:
1453:University Club of Seattle
1408:Daughters of Utah Pioneers
739:Atlanta Neighborhood Union
517:Women's Trade Union League
482:Queen Isabella Association
69:Elizabeth Avery Meriwether
1575:
1568:
1551:
1544:
1525:
1518:
1493:
1477:
1461:
1430:
1414:
1402:
1336:
1310:
1289:
1268:
1237:
1216:
1200:
1184:
1133:
1102:
1066:
1050:
1034:
1013:
997:
981:
935:
914:
898:
882:
861:
840:
819:
783:
767:
731:
700:
679:
593:
562:
546:
530:
412:Colonial Dames of America
379:
372:
963:New England Women's Club
305:Historic Memphis Website
65:Elizabeth Fisher Johnson
25:Rowland J. Darnell House
392:American Woman's League
33:Nineteenth Century Club
948:College Club of Boston
874:Woman's Club of Topeka
801:Fortnightly of Chicago
452:League of Women Voters
28:
1580:List of women's clubs
1569:List of women's clubs
1250:Colored Women's Clubs
1146:Brooklyn Woman's Club
973:Saturday Morning Club
497:United Order of Tents
477:Phillis Wheatley Club
134:University of Memphis
22:
1323:Country Woman's Club
796:Chicago Woman's Club
744:Atlanta Woman's Club
616:College Women's Club
367:in the United States
73:Elizabeth Lyle Saxon
775:Daughters of Hawaii
61:Elise Massey Selden
606:Berkeley City Club
122:sanitary inspector
87:Political activism
45:Memphis, Tennessee
29:
1592:
1591:
1588:
1587:
1564:
1563:
1540:
1539:
1514:
1513:
1506:Women's City Club
1318:19th Century Club
1276:Cosmopolitan Club
1176:Women's City Club
1156:Cosmopolitan Club
1058:20th Century Club
661:Metropolitan Club
94:municipal affairs
1637:
1573:
1572:
1549:
1548:
1523:
1522:
968:Woman's Era Club
377:
376:
358:
351:
344:
335:
334:
315:
314:
312:
311:
297:
291:
290:
288:
287:
271:
265:
264:
252:
242:
231:
230:
210:
204:
203:
201:
200:
184:
1645:
1644:
1640:
1639:
1638:
1636:
1635:
1634:
1595:
1594:
1593:
1584:
1560:
1536:
1531:The Woman's Era
1510:
1494:Washington D.C.
1489:
1473:
1457:
1426:
1410:
1398:
1384:Houston Heights
1332:
1306:
1285:
1264:
1233:
1212:
1196:
1180:
1129:
1098:
1094:Upper Montclair
1062:
1046:
1030:
1009:
993:
977:
931:
910:
894:
878:
857:
836:
815:
811:Three Arts Club
779:
763:
727:
718:Fort Lauderdale
696:
675:
656:LA Nurses' Club
589:
558:
542:
526:
368:
362:
324:
319:
318:
309:
307:
299:
298:
294:
285:
283:
272:
268:
261:
243:
234:
227:
211:
207:
198:
196:
185:
172:
167:
158:
126:Board of Health
118:
89:
81:Lide Meriwether
57:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1643:
1633:
1632:
1627:
1622:
1617:
1612:
1607:
1590:
1589:
1586:
1585:
1583:
1582:
1576:
1570:
1566:
1565:
1562:
1561:
1559:
1558:
1552:
1546:
1542:
1541:
1538:
1537:
1535:
1534:
1526:
1520:
1516:
1515:
1512:
1511:
1509:
1508:
1503:
1497:
1495:
1491:
1490:
1488:
1487:
1481:
1479:
1475:
1474:
1472:
1471:
1465:
1463:
1459:
1458:
1456:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1434:
1432:
1428:
1427:
1425:
1424:
1418:
1416:
1412:
1411:
1406:
1404:
1400:
1399:
1397:
1396:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1340:
1338:
1334:
1333:
1331:
1330:
1325:
1320:
1314:
1312:
1308:
1307:
1305:
1304:
1299:
1293:
1291:
1290:South Carolina
1287:
1286:
1284:
1283:
1278:
1272:
1270:
1266:
1265:
1263:
1262:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1241:
1239:
1235:
1234:
1232:
1231:
1226:
1220:
1218:
1214:
1213:
1211:
1210:
1204:
1202:
1198:
1197:
1195:
1194:
1188:
1186:
1185:North Carolina
1182:
1181:
1179:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1137:
1135:
1131:
1130:
1128:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1106:
1104:
1100:
1099:
1097:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1070:
1068:
1064:
1063:
1061:
1060:
1054:
1052:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1044:
1038:
1036:
1032:
1031:
1029:
1028:
1023:
1017:
1015:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1007:
1001:
999:
995:
994:
992:
991:
985:
983:
979:
978:
976:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
939:
937:
933:
932:
930:
929:
924:
918:
916:
912:
911:
909:
908:
902:
900:
896:
895:
893:
892:
886:
884:
880:
879:
877:
876:
871:
865:
863:
859:
858:
856:
855:
850:
844:
842:
838:
837:
835:
834:
829:
823:
821:
817:
816:
814:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
787:
785:
781:
780:
778:
777:
771:
769:
765:
764:
762:
761:
756:
751:
746:
741:
735:
733:
729:
728:
726:
725:
720:
715:
710:
704:
702:
698:
697:
695:
694:
689:
683:
681:
677:
676:
674:
673:
671:Wilfandel Club
668:
663:
658:
653:
648:
643:
638:
636:Francisca Club
633:
628:
623:
618:
613:
608:
603:
597:
595:
591:
590:
588:
587:
582:
577:
572:
566:
564:
560:
559:
557:
556:
550:
548:
544:
543:
541:
540:
534:
532:
528:
527:
525:
524:
519:
514:
509:
504:
499:
494:
489:
484:
479:
474:
469:
464:
459:
454:
449:
444:
439:
434:
429:
424:
419:
414:
409:
404:
399:
394:
389:
383:
381:
374:
370:
369:
361:
360:
353:
346:
338:
332:
331:
323:
322:External links
320:
317:
316:
292:
266:
259:
232:
225:
205:
169:
168:
166:
163:
157:
154:
117:
114:
88:
85:
56:
53:
35:is a historic
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1642:
1631:
1628:
1626:
1623:
1621:
1618:
1616:
1613:
1611:
1608:
1606:
1603:
1602:
1600:
1581:
1578:
1577:
1574:
1571:
1567:
1557:
1554:
1553:
1550:
1547:
1543:
1533:
1532:
1528:
1527:
1524:
1521:
1517:
1507:
1504:
1502:
1501:Sulgrave Club
1499:
1498:
1496:
1492:
1486:
1483:
1482:
1480:
1476:
1470:
1467:
1466:
1464:
1460:
1454:
1451:
1449:
1446:
1444:
1441:
1439:
1436:
1435:
1433:
1429:
1423:
1420:
1419:
1417:
1413:
1409:
1405:
1401:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1341:
1339:
1335:
1329:
1328:Ossoli Circle
1326:
1324:
1321:
1319:
1316:
1315:
1313:
1309:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1294:
1292:
1288:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1273:
1271:
1267:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1242:
1240:
1236:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1221:
1219:
1215:
1209:
1206:
1205:
1203:
1199:
1193:
1190:
1189:
1187:
1183:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1138:
1136:
1132:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1107:
1105:
1101:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1071:
1069:
1065:
1059:
1056:
1055:
1053:
1049:
1043:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1033:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1006:
1003:
1002:
1000:
996:
990:
987:
986:
984:
980:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
940:
938:
936:Massachusetts
934:
928:
925:
923:
920:
919:
917:
913:
907:
904:
903:
901:
897:
891:
888:
887:
885:
881:
875:
872:
870:
867:
866:
864:
860:
854:
851:
849:
846:
845:
843:
839:
833:
830:
828:
825:
824:
822:
818:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
788:
786:
782:
776:
773:
772:
770:
766:
760:
757:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
742:
740:
737:
736:
734:
730:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
705:
703:
699:
693:
690:
688:
685:
684:
682:
678:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
659:
657:
654:
652:
649:
647:
644:
642:
639:
637:
634:
632:
629:
627:
626:Ebell Society
624:
622:
619:
617:
614:
612:
611:Beverly Hills
609:
607:
604:
602:
599:
598:
596:
592:
586:
583:
581:
578:
576:
573:
571:
568:
567:
565:
561:
555:
552:
551:
549:
545:
539:
536:
535:
533:
529:
523:
520:
518:
515:
513:
510:
508:
505:
503:
500:
498:
495:
493:
490:
488:
485:
483:
480:
478:
475:
473:
470:
468:
465:
463:
460:
458:
455:
453:
450:
448:
445:
443:
442:Junior League
440:
438:
435:
433:
430:
428:
425:
423:
420:
418:
415:
413:
410:
408:
405:
403:
400:
398:
395:
393:
390:
388:
385:
384:
382:
378:
375:
371:
366:
365:Women's clubs
359:
354:
352:
347:
345:
340:
339:
336:
329:
326:
325:
306:
302:
296:
281:
277:
274:Edson, John.
270:
262:
260:9780870497049
256:
251:
250:
241:
239:
237:
228:
226:9780820337432
222:
218:
217:
209:
194:
190:
183:
181:
179:
177:
175:
170:
162:
153:
151:
147:
142:
139:In 1897, the
137:
135:
131:
130:Shelby County
128:, formed the
127:
123:
113:
110:
105:
101:
99:
95:
84:
82:
78:
74:
70:
66:
62:
52:
50:
46:
42:
39:and cultural
38:
37:philanthropic
34:
26:
21:
1529:
1519:Publications
1422:Mount Vernon
1317:
1281:Plastic Club
1269:Pennsylvania
1042:East Glacier
308:. Retrieved
304:
295:
284:. Retrieved
279:
269:
248:
215:
208:
197:. Retrieved
192:
159:
138:
119:
106:
102:
90:
77:Clara Conway
58:
49:civic reform
41:women's club
32:
30:
1545:Conventions
1394:San Antonio
1389:Lyceum Club
1151:Colony Club
1125:Silver City
1074:Kalmia Club
1014:Mississippi
631:Ebell of LA
570:Casa Grande
1599:Categories
1431:Washington
1379:Fort Worth
1120:Las Cruces
1110:Alamogordo
1103:New Mexico
1089:Rutherford
1079:Morristown
1067:New Jersey
1005:Saint Paul
853:Des Moines
692:Wilmington
594:California
380:Nationwide
310:2015-12-18
286:2016-01-04
199:2015-12-16
165:References
156:Modern day
146:Men's Club
1469:Wauwatosa
1462:Wisconsin
1311:Tennessee
1260:Town Club
1192:Charlotte
1115:Carrizozo
998:Minnesota
899:Louisiana
832:Vincennes
708:Bradenton
666:San Pedro
554:Anchorage
116:Campaigns
43:based in
1443:Longview
1438:Kirkland
1415:Virginia
1217:Oklahoma
1134:New York
1084:Red Bank
982:Michigan
915:Maryland
906:Era Club
883:Kentucky
784:Illinois
759:Tennille
754:Demorest
680:Delaware
646:La Jolla
575:Glendale
55:Creation
1478:Wyoming
1448:Olympia
1374:El Paso
1245:Ashland
1171:Sorosis
1035:Montana
943:Chilton
820:Indiana
732:Georgia
701:Florida
687:Milford
651:Lincoln
585:Willcox
563:Arizona
531:Alabama
141:Hamburg
124:at the
1485:Casper
1255:Dundee
1238:Oregon
1208:Dayton
1051:Nevada
862:Kansas
768:Hawaii
749:Dawson
621:Corona
547:Alaska
257:
223:
79:, and
1337:Texas
723:Miami
713:Davie
373:Clubs
1403:Utah
1201:Ohio
841:Iowa
580:Mesa
255:ISBN
221:ISBN
31:The
1601::
303:.
278:.
235:^
191:.
173:^
136:.
75:,
71:,
67:,
63:,
357:e
350:t
343:v
313:.
289:.
263:.
229:.
202:.
27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.