American News Women's Club

The American News Women's Club (ANWC) is one of the oldest women's press clubs in America. Its Club headquarters are located on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C. Membership includes a diverse group of journalists, independent authors and professional communicators representing newspapers, radio and television stations, new media, publishing companies, public relations firms, corporations, academic institutions and government.

American News Women’s Club
Formation1932; 92 years ago (1932)
TypeNational non-profit women's press club
53-0217585
Location
ServicesEvent venue
Websiteanwc.org
Building details
Map
General information
Coordinates38°54′43″N 77°02′55″W / 38.9120°N 77.0486°W / 38.9120; -77.0486

Formerly known as the American Newspaper Women's Club, it was founded on April 4, 1932, by Kate Scott Brooks of The Washington Post,[1] and other respected female journalists of the time. The women created a Club exclusively for female newspaper writers and reporters, as the National Press Club did not admit women as members at the time.

The Club also admits prominent women (Associate Members) who are deemed as helpful to women reporters gathering news.[2] Historically among these were Amelia Earhart, Alice Marriott, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Evalyn Walsh McLean, Clare Booth Luce and Eleanor Roosevelt among many others.[3][4] Until recently every first lady since Mrs. Herbert Hoover has been a member including Pat Nixon, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Betty Ford and Laura Bush. The ANWC annually gives its ANWC excellence in journalism (EIJ) award to a highly respected journalist. Recipients have included Eleanor Clift, Walter Cronkite, Gwen Ifill, Norah O'Donnell, Susan Page, Diane Rehm, Wolf Blitzer, Lesley Stahl, Helen Thomas, Barbara Walters,[5] Judy Woodruff, and Bob Woodward, EIJ recipient '22 awarded in the Club's 90th year and the 50th year since Watergate. ANWC EIJ award recipients become lifetime honorary members.[6][7]

The Club is also known for its history of awarding scholarships to aspiring young women journalists from local area universities and for its signature educational, "newsmaker", authors and "Meet the Ambassadors" programs held at the Clubhouse.

The American News Women's Club[8] was named a historic site in journalism by the National Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) on October 16, 2002.

The Club began admitting men in the late 1970's when Art Buchwald became a member.

References

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  1. ^ "Mrs. Kate Brooks Dies at 99; Noted Newswoman". The Times of Munster, Indiana. 24 April 1962. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  2. ^ "American News Woman's Club - Club History". www.anwc.org. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  3. ^ Membership Directory, 1972-1973 (PDF). Betty Ford White House Papers in the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library: American News Women's Club. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Club History". anwc.org. American News Women's Club.
  5. ^ Collins, Eliza (21 June 2013). "Barbara Walters roasted, honored". USA Today.
  6. ^ Dyer, Helena Andrews- (May 16, 2019). "Wolf Blitzer gets roasted — sort of — by his famous friends at annual awards gala". Washington Post. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  7. ^ "USA TODAY's Susan Page Wins 2017 Excellence in Journalism Award". USA Today. November 23, 2016.
  8. ^ "Collection: American News Women's Club records | Archival Collections". archives.lib.umd.edu. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
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