Indianapolis Council of Women

In 1891 Propylaeum stockholders, led by May Wright Sewall, voted to form a council to accomplish at the local level what the National Council of Women was trying to do for the country. Begun in 1892 with 49 Indianapolis literary clubs, charitable institutions, missionary and church societies, and other associations, the group was originally known as the Local Council of Women.

Sewall had been instrumental in the founding of the national and international organizations in 1888. Local councils, like the Indianapolis group, provided a forum for communication among the various women’s groups so that they could learn from and provide assistance to each other for civic betterment. Organizations belonging to a local council were to be equally represented and maintain their autonomy.

The Indianapolis Council of Women was incorporated in 1902 and later survived its founder’s death in 1920. Until 1923 the council met monthly in the Propylaeum. The council took the most interest in those moral and civic issues that related to women and children, such as women’s suffrage and improved conditions in the schools. These women made their influence felt by conducting investigations, making resolutions, and pressuring authorities in local government and private organizations. During its early years, it studied jail conditions for women prisoners, investigated the presence of children in “wine rooms,” pushed for women on local governmental boards and commissions, and became active in municipal legislation regarding public health and improved housing. It also donated time and money to causes such as setting up free milk stations and paying for police matrons and juvenile probation officers.

Several groups were founded through this local council, including the Indianapolis Consumers League (1901) and the Indiana Council of Women (1921). Social programs were also a part of the council’s activities. Besides a Founder’s Day luncheon, the women regularly had lunches and dinners featuring music programs, literary readings, or local speakers.

The council celebrated its centennial in 1992 by hosting several historical programs. By this point, it had 135 participating groups, representing roughly 45,000 people and met for seven lunches a year to host speakers on topics of community interest. These women continued to make an impact on the community by providing assistance to the city’s homeless and abused people.

*Note: This entry is from the original print edition of the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis (1994). We are currently seeking an individual with knowledge of this topic to update this entry.