History – Greater Phoenix Republican Women

History of Greater Phoenix Republican Women

Greater Phoenix Republican Women (GPRW), formerly Central Republican Women of Phoenix, claimed its new name in 2019 to better reflect our membership base. Members live and work throughout the Greater Phoenix area and Valley of the Sun.

GPRW Members have a strong voice in local, county, state and national activities by participating in elections and fostering loyalty to the Republican Party. Empowering, Educating and Engaging members in promoting Republican Women, ideals, principles and candidates is our mission.

As members of our local club, and thereby the state level Arizona Federation of Republican Women ( AzFRW), membership is included in the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW), the largest women’s grassroots organization. Greater Phoenix Republican Women is an award-winning club at the both the State and National Federation levels.

History of Central Republican Women of Phoenix (CRWOP)

Central Republican Women of Phoenix was formed in 2013 by the merger of two long-standing Arizona clubs, Central Republican Women’s Club and Cactus Wren Republican Women. CRWOP celebrated 60 years in 2018.

History of Cactus Wren Republican Women (CWRW)

Cactus Wren Republican Women was founded in 1967. Cactus Wren RW was the first Republican Women’s club with evening meetings. Many women wanted to become politically active but could not get away from occupational or home responsibilities during the day so Cactus Wren RW was born; a place for women to meet and exchange ideas, learn about politics and help the Republican cause.

History of Central Republican Women’s Club (CRWC)

Central Republican Women’s Club was chartered in 1958.

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Arizona Federation of Republican Women (AzFRW)

In 1920, under the guidance of a most interesting and energetic lady, Mrs. J.L.B. Alexander, a small group of Arizona women met weekly for the purpose of “study and promotion of the American system of government as exemplified in Republican Party principles and candidates.” This group, know as the Women’s Republican League, soon began to expand across the state. There is an account of dedicated members traveling for as long as seven days throughout six Arizona counties in the spring of 1924 to form several more clubs. A resolution passed at one of the early meetings that states:

“Recommendation adopted that women be given representation on County and State Central Committees and that this Organization has a voice in the selection of its representatives and appointment of women workers.”

AzFRW’s formal constitution and bylaws were adopted in May 1924 as the result of the rich heritage of dedicated Republican women who took giant steps in laying the AzFRW foundation for each one of us.

National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW)

When the National Federation of Republican Women was founded in September 1938 at a conference held at the Palmer House in Chicago, Arizona became part of the national organization. The NFRW was organized under the direction of Marion E. Martin who was serving as Assistant Chairman of the RNC and was the National Committeewoman from the state of Maine.

The seal of the NFRW is the American Golden Eagle, considered king of birds, holding a quill pen and standing guard over our most treasured tool of democracy: the ballot box. Adopted in 1944, this emblem portrays the Federation’s interest in the protection and integrity of our electoral process. The American Eagle is borrowed from the great seal of the United States of America. The quill is symbolic of the power of words, especially as contained in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

Today, the NFRW is a national grassroots political organization composed of local clubs around the United States of America, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.