The Organized Women Voters of Arlington
While the OWV’s objective was to “collect and disseminate political and civic information,” it also served as a space to improve women’s social position within the county.
The Organized Women Voters of Arlington was founded in 1923, just three years after the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution extended women's right to vote.
A decidedly non-partisan organization, the OWV was unique in its distinct attention to matters facing the County. In an interview with the Northern Virginia Sun in 1958, then-president Ms. Woolley stated she believed “that the Organized Women Voters of Arlington is the only women voters’ group in the United States concerned solely with matters of local interest.”
While the OWV’s objective was to “collect and disseminate political and civic information,” it also served as a space to improve women’s social position within the county. Many prominent female leaders from Arlington, including county board members and former state senator Mary Margaret Whipple, have been a part of this significant organization.
In an oral history recorded in 1983, former OWV President Mrs. Sue Renfro remembered a time early on in the organization’s history when the two functions of education and political support intersected:
“At the first meeting, Sheriff Fields came to speak to the ladies since they were having the vote. And he promised them that he would do something for them, so they asked him if he would be willing to make an appointment [appoint a woman, and he replied] “Well, yes, under the circumstances.”
So then they had the election. Sheriff Fields won and seemed to forget about appointing a lady. And the ladies decided that they should go and inspect the jail.
So, they made several trips to inspect the jail. Finally, it was reported that the sheriff looked up one day and saw the committee coming again to inspect the jail. He decided that he might appoint one of them and appointed Mrs. Pauline Duncan.
… She was the first deputy woman sheriff in the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
These were high-profile events for the organization, and every year, the group named a “Woman of the Year” from Arlington County. In 1938, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was an honored guest. Today, the Organized Women Voters meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month from September through May at Essy’s Carriage House to hear from candidates and county representatives.
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