HISTORY

SUSAN LOOK AVERY, Founder of the Woman's Club of Louisville and of the Susan Look Avery Club of Wyoming, N.Y. Leader, speaker, and writer in favor of equal suffrage. ​

It is bad for the ignorant and vicious to do ill, but it is worse for the educated and honest to do nothing. - Susan Look Avery
                                                                           
Mission
The Woman's Club of Louisville was organized in 1890 for the purpose of promoting and supporting civic improvements, championing the educational and philanthropic needs of our community - especially for women and children - and cultivating the fine arts.
​

1800's

Picture
HATTIE BISHOP SPEED
Member, Philanthropist and Founder of the J.B. Speed Art Museum
 Picture
SISTERS: MILDRED AND PATTY HILL
Early Education Reformers 
Composers of the Song
Happy Birthday to You
  • 1890 The Woman's Club of Louisville was organized by Susan Look Avery
  • 1890 A memorial was sent to the Constitutional Convention praying that all lottery franchises be repealed
  • 1891 Petition presented to the Mayor and city Council asking for matrons in jails and station houses
  • 1892 Petition with over 500 signatures presented to retail merchants asking for seats for shop-girls 
  • 1893 Petition sent to the Kentucky Legislature asking for the age of consent be raised from twelve to eighteen. 
  • 1893 Petition sent to the Kentucky Legislature asking that the women of Kentucky be granted property rights, the power to make wills and the equal custody of their children. 
  • 1893 A Free Exhibition of Impressionist paintings was given in which many of the world's most noted artists were represented. 
​

1900s

  • 1906 The Carnegie Institute declared The Woman's Club of Louisville to be : The greatest ethical influence for public sentiment in the state of Kentucky.
  • 1921 The Younger Woman's Club of Louisville was founded.
  • 1923 Denishawn Dance Group performs with young dancers Martha Graham (founder of modern dance) and Louise Brooks (Ziegfeld Follies dancer and later iconic silent movie actress with Paramount Pictures.)
  • 1932 Fundraiser for the American Foundation for the Blind featuring Helen Keller as speaker.
  • 1937 The Woman's Club served as a receiving station for supplies and for flood sufferers. 
  • 1938 The first No-Jury Art Show was held providing the artists of Louisville a place to exhibit their talent. 
  • 1939 Poet Rober Frost spoke to Club members and the Community.
  • 1941 Community Service Community was formed to help with the war effort, aid children of Appalachia, and provide volunteers to local social services departments, hospitals and charities.
  • 1943 Carl Sandberg read some of his work, played the guitar singing rakish ballads.
  • 1946 Pianist Lee Luvisi (aged 8) made his first public appearance onstage in the Auditorium.
              The Club also sponsored concerts featuring Vladimir Horowitz and Arthur Rubenstein.
  • 1948 The Louisville Deaf Oral School was founded by The Woman's Club and the Kiwanis.
  • 1951 Ogden Nash recited his poetry for an amused audience.
          (I think that I shall never see
           a billboard lovely as a tree.
          Perhaps unless the billboards fall
          I'll never see a tree at tall.
  • 1956 Bookmobiles purchased for the Louisville Free Public Library to provide service to rural communities.
  • 1967 The Woman's Club of Louisivlle Charity Fund, Inc. was established for the purpose of raising and managing funds for charities.
​              It is listed as a 501(C)3 organization by the IRS. (See recent grants under Charity

2000's

  • 2008 Summer Camp for children with Autism founded - Camp S.S. Star.