The roots of the Norfolk branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) can be traced to December 10, 1902, when ten women met in Norfolk, Virginia. to form the College Club of Norfolk. The purpose of this group was to support higher education for women. The requirement for membership was a minimum of one year of college at any Association of Collegiate Alumnae (ACA) approved college. In 1918, the College Club of Norfolk united with the Southern Association of College Women (SACW) and became part of the AAUW as a result of the 1921 merge of the SACW and the ACA. In 1922 the first national convention of the AAUW was held in Kansas City, Missouri and a representative from the Norfolk branch was in attendance. One of first projects for the branch was creating a scholarship for women to attend an approved college. In 1909, Miss Nettie Sterling of Gloucester, Virginia received the first scholarship. In 1922, Miss Cherry Nottingham, referred to as the "Branch's intellectual core," joined the AAUW and in later years this scholarship became known as the Cherry Nottingham scholarship. In the 1920s, the Norfolk branch of the AAUW joined national AAUW efforts to purchase a gram of radium to present to Madame Curie as a gift of American women on the occasion of Curie's visit to the United States. The Norfolk branch of the AAUW was among the first racially integrated women's organizations. Other major interests of the branch over the years have been pre-schools, nurseries, daycare centers, poverty, school integration, civil rights, and international relations. Men are also admitted to the Norfolk branch of the AAUW on the basis of their educational qualifications. More information about the American Association of University Women, Norfolk Branch can be found on their website.

Note written by Tonia Graves