Trailblazing Women of the Junior League

This month I had the privilege of attending the annual conference of the Association of Junior Leagues International where we celebrated the 125^th Anniversary of the Junior League movement.

From our very first league in New York City in 1901 to the more than 100,000 women across three continents today, the Junior League has consistently attracted talented, determined women and given them the tools, the network and the platform to reach further both as individuals and as a collective force for good as we move together step by step towards our bold vision of ‘women around the world as catalysts for lasting community change.’

And OMG what a long list of success stories have been written along the way!! We often celebrate the accomplishments of famous members like First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, celebrity chef Julia Child and of course our own founder Mary Harriman. But during the past six years as I have had the privilege of serving on the AJLI Board and meeting so many women across the Association, I’ve seen first-hand that these famous members are just a tiny sample of the incredible women that have shaped and been shaped by our movement.

Here are 10 more trailblazing members from across the past 125 years and across multiple countries who definitely deserve celebrating. Some are famous. Some are less famous. All are amazing:

Sarah Lawrence Slattery – Three cheers for the founder of our second league which ignited Junior League expansion across the country and around the world. Sarah was a Boston debutante who believed women could do far more than society’s expectations of them. In 1906, when asked to join the debutante Sewing Circle, Sarah suggested that they join up with the sewing circles from previous debutante years and form the Junior League of Boston focused on making a difference. Within just a few years the second league had grown to hundreds of women working with 55 different community partners. Sarah herself obtained a diploma in social work, was active in hand-on volunteering and went on to serve on many prestigious charity boards in Boston.
Nora Saltonstall – Nora joined the Junior League of Boston just a few years after it was formed and was elected President at the age of just 22. In 1917,as the Great War was breaking out in Europe, Nora left behind her comfortable life to volunteer for the Red Cross in France. Her mission took her through waters prowled by German U-boats, to supporting refugee camps and assisting wounded soldiers on the front lines as part of a travelling medical unit. She was awarded the prestigious French Croix de Guerre for services under fire, and her letters home which were published after the war serve as a first-hand account of life on the front and the growing role of women in international humanitarian work.
Helen Wills – Helen became one of the most dominant athletes in tennis history. She not only took gold in both singles and doubles at the 1924 Paris Olympics, but went on to win 31 grand slam titles, including 19 singles championships which she won without ever dropping a set. She even looked great doing it and brought with her a new style of tennis fashion, boldly replacing long skirts and petticoats with knee-length dresses. But Helen didn’t just want to be good at her sport, she wanted to do good for others. She joined the Junior League of San Francisco, volunteered in her community, and donated millions of her winnings to promote education. A true champion indeed!
Ruth Rowland Nichols – A member of the Junior League of New York, Ruth was a pioneer in aviation. She is the only woman yet to hold simultaneous world records for speed, altitude and distance, and she co-founded the women’s flying organisation ‘the Ninety-Nines’ with her friend Amelia Earhart to advocate for women in the field. She went on to become the first female director of an aviation company. But Nora was equally passionate about helping those in need. She founded Relief Wings, a humanitarian air service for disaster relief and continued humanitarian work throughout the second world war and afterwards. She used her celebrity status to bring attention to important causes and organised a round-the-world tour with UNICEF as well as supporting her local league and charities at home.
Oveta Culp Hobby – I couldn’t make a list of impressive JL women without including a Texas gal and Oveta was one amazing gal! She was a groundbreaking leader in journalism, government, and military administration – and a proud member of the Junior League of Houston. Oveta co-owned and ran the Houston Post alongside her husband and became influential in Texas media, giving prominence to women’s news. During World War II, she led the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), overseeing the integration of women into noncombat military service. In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed her as the first Secretary of the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, where she helped shape national policies related to public health, education, and social welfare. And throughout her life she lifted up the role of women in society.
Louise Lacaud – Louise was a French expat to Mexico with a passion for anthropology and cultural preservation in Mexico. She supported educational initiatives to promote understanding of indigenous traditions, archaeology and regional history. In 1938, Louise and three other colleagues were the first Westerners invited to witness and record a sacred Mazatec mushroom healing ceremony, and she continued to promote cross-cultural understanding during a period of modernisation and social change. She was also an active member of the Junior League of Mexico City, and during her leadership the league established the Comite International Pro Ciegos, a comprehensive international centre for the blind which achieved global recognition. In 1953, when Louise was league President, she hosted Helen Keller who came to visit the league’s programmes and express her personal gratitude for their groundbreaking work.
Shirley Temple Black — Famous worldwide as an adorable child star and much needed positivity during the Great Depression, Shirley Temple Black later built a distinguished career in public service. A member of the Junior League of Palo Alto-Mid Peninsula, she served as a U.S. representative to the United Nations and later as ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She was also one of the first public figures to openly discuss her experience with breast cancer, helping raise awareness about women’s health. Her transition from entertainment to diplomacy demonstrated a lifelong commitment to civic engagement. Shirley exuded poise, optimism, and integrity; and through some seriously difficult global negotiations she proved that while the world probably cannot be made perfect, it can be made better.
Dorothy Stimson Bullitt – Dorothy was a keen businesswoman. She ran a real estate empire and then become a pioneer in broadcasting and the first woman in the US to own and run a television station. And she did it all as a single mom! But perhaps Dorothy is best known for her commitment to helping others. She was a founding member of the Junior League of Seattle and of the Children’s Orthopaedic Hospital, both of which he actively supported throughout her life. When fellow Junior Leaguer Eleanor Roosevelt visited Seattle with her husband FDR, Dorothy persuaded him to make a visit to the hospital to show the children that disabilities need not limit possibilities. Her Bullitt Foundation continues today to provide significant funding to support the people and the land of the Pacific Northwest.
Deborah Brittain – You know you’re in the presence of greatness when the woman standing before you is showcased on the Women’s History Museum website, and having had the privilege of meeting Deborah I know first-hand that she is so much more than her impressive bio. Professionally, she was Executive Vice President of Preod, an executive search company focused on diverse senior-level appointments. She is also a prominent leader in higher education, having served as a trustee of several prestigious universities and a member of the Advisory Board to the Dean of Harvard. Her charity and voluntary leadership roles have been equally impactful, including service to the Junior League of Northern Virginia, as well as becoming the first Black President of AJLI. Behind all of these impressive titles is a woman who radiates grace, compassion, and a tireless commitment to equality and leadership development. The world needs more Deborahs!
Martha Strayer Russell –When I was first starting out in Junior League leadership, I was so inspired by our AJLI Mary Harriman Award winner Martie Russell of the Junior League of Toronto. Martie joined the league at the age of 21 and jumped into service with both feet. In the 70’s she helped form one of Canada’s first health clinics that dispensed information about birth control. In the 80’s she was a founding director of Fife House, providing supportive housing for people living with HIV/AIDS. In the 90’s she co-founded a healthcare business to train and employ women. In the 2000s she led a massive fundraising campaign for hospice services and end of life care. She has served on more than 20 charity boards and was inducted into the prestigious International Women’s Forum. A true lifetime commitment to service.

Here’s to these 10 trailblazing women and to all of the amazing women following in their footsteps today! I can’t wait to see what the next 125 years will bring!!