There’s a women’s group in Springfield that dates back to the early 1930s. The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Women’s Democratic Club was formed in Greene County in 1933—and today, it’s trying to get younger people involved.
One member is Phyllis Netzer, who is 74. When she joined in the 1980s, the older members told stories of people they knew who were part of the women’s suffrage movement.
“Relatives or friends that stood along the street in St. Louis with white dresses and yellow sashes," Netzer said.
During the Golden Lane protest in St. Louis in 1916, thousands of suffragists stood in silence along Locust Street as delegates of the Democratic National Convention walked past them on their way to the event.
Today, the group works to raise money for various causes and to educate its members about political candidates. Meetings in February and March will feature two candidates running for the Springfield Board of Education.
The group has 45 members, down from about 80 before the pandemic, and Netzer hopes they can recruit new and younger members to keep the club going.
The 1st FDR Banquet this weekend will feature a talk by Rachel Vindman. Netzer said Vindman was chosen because of her support of women and women candidates.