The Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus is a multipartisan organization founded in 1971 to maximize the participation of women of all ages in the political process and to increase the number of women appointed and elected to public office and public policy positions.

HISTORY

1971 - Marge Schiller and Anne Lewis from Massachusetts attend first organizing meeting of National Women's Political Caucus (www.nwpc.org) in Washington D.C. Upon her return from Washington D.C., Schiller formed the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus.

1972 - Over 500 women attended the first organizing meeting of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus which was held at Roberts Auditorium at Boston College. The group's focus was on organizing a women's grassroots organization that would promote the election of women to increase the political power of women in society.

1973 - Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus sponsors first annual informal Campaign Skills Training.

1974 - Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus begins organized efforts to support individual women running for office.

1980 - Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus was the stimulus for the formation of the Caucus of Women Legislators.

1985 - MWPC holds the inaugural Tribute to Abigail Adams Event at the USS Constitution Museum.

1986 - Evelyn Murphy is elected Lieutenant Governor, the first woman elected statewide.

1987 - MWPC hires first Executive Director.

1990 - NWPC President Harriet Woods comes to Massachusetts and conducts a successful media tour in Boston.

1995 - MWPC begins Red Alert Networking Events.

2001 - MWPC sponsors first Good Guys Awards.

2001 - Governor Jane Swift inaugurated as Massachusetts first woman governor when Governor Paul Cellucci is appointed as Ambassador to Canada.

2002 - MWPC co-founds the Massachusetts Government Appointments Project (MassGAP) to increase the number of women in high-level appointed positions in state government.