League of Women Voters founding anniversary2026 · Date · History · Messages
League of Women Voters first-party history establishes Carrie Chapman Catt’s 1919 proposal and formal organization of the national League in Chicago on 14 February 1920. The organization continues to mark February 14 as its birthday; this is an organizational anniversary rather than a general federal public holiday.
About League of Women Voters founding anniversary
The League of Women Voters founding anniversary falls on February 14, marking the organization’s formal founding in Chicago on February 14, 1920.
“League of Women Voters Day” is retained as an alias for this organizational anniversary rather than presented as a general federal public holiday.
Why League of Women Voters founding anniversary matters
The date commemorates the founding of a U.S. civic organization that emerged from the women’s suffrage movement shortly before ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment.
The League describes itself as nonpartisan with respect to political parties and candidates while also engaging in civic education and advocacy; this guide documents the anniversary without endorsing its present-day policy positions or electoral choices.
History of League of Women Voters founding anniversary
League history states that National American Woman Suffrage Association president Carrie Chapman Catt proposed a league of women voters in 1919.
On February 14, 1920, the League was formally organized in Chicago as the national League of Women Voters.
The founding occurred about six months before ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in August 1920.
The League continues to mark February 14 as its birthday and founding anniversary.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Carrie Chapman Catt
League history states that Catt proposed creating a league of women voters at the 1919 NAWSA convention.
National League of Women Voters founders at the National American Woman Suffrage Association convention
League history states that the national League was formally organized in Chicago on February 14, 1920.
League of Women Voters of the United States
The national League continues to publish its history and mark February 14 as its birthday.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
League of Women Voters Day
How to Observe League of Women Voters founding anniversary
Read primary or institutional history about the women’s suffrage movement and the League’s 1920 founding.
Learn how nonpartisan voter education, civic organizations, and election administration are structured in your jurisdiction without treating any organization as the sole source of civic information.
Compare historical voting-rights milestones with the legal and practical barriers that different groups continued to face after 1920.
If discussing current politics, separate factual information about the organization from your own choices about candidates, parties, policies, or ballot measures.
League of Women Voters founding anniversary Facts
The League of Women Voters was formally founded on February 14, 1920 in Chicago.
Carrie Chapman Catt proposed creating a league of women voters in 1919.
The organization emerged from the National American Woman Suffrage Association and the broader women’s suffrage movement.
The League continues to mark February 14 as its birthday.
This is an organizational anniversary, not a general U.S. federal public holiday.
League of Women Voters founding anniversary Messages
On the League’s founding anniversary, take time to learn about the civic and suffrage history surrounding its creation.
Remember February 14, 1920 as the formal founding date of the national League of Women Voters.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
League of Women Voters — About Us (opens in a new tab)
Organization First Party Current
League of Women Voters — Founding and early history (opens in a new tab)
Organization First Party History
League of Women Voters — History (opens in a new tab)
Organization First Party History
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is League of Women Voters founding anniversary?
14 February The documented recurrence rule is: 14 February.
Does League of Women Voters founding anniversary fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is League of Women Voters founding anniversary an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States / League of Women Voters organizational founding anniversary. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes League of Women Voters founding anniversary?
The reviewed sources identify National League of Women Voters founders at the National American Woman Suffrage Association convention as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Carrie Chapman Catt. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as League of Women Voters of the United States.
Is League of Women Voters founding anniversary international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / League of Women Voters organizational founding anniversary.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-21.
When was the League of Women Voters founded?
The League was formally organized in Chicago on February 14, 1920.
Who proposed creating the League?
League history identifies Carrie Chapman Catt, then president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, as the leader who proposed forming a league of women voters in 1919.
Why is February 14 used for the anniversary?
February 14 is the organization’s documented founding date in 1920.
Is League of Women Voters Day a federal public holiday?
No. This record describes the League’s organizational founding anniversary, not a general federal legal holiday.
Other observances on February 14
These observances are also listed on February 14, 2027.
Arizona Statehood Day
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Autism Sunday
UK parliamentary material identifies Ivan and Charika Corea as founders and describes the event as growing since 2002; church-sector material supports the second-Sunday-in-February recurren…
Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day
New Hampshire law directs the governor to proclaim February 14 each year as Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day; HeartKids Australia also uses February 14 as CHD Awareness Day.
Have a Heart Day
The First Nations Child & Family Caring Society states that Have a Heart Day has been marked each year on 14 February since 2012 to support equitable opportunities for First Nations childre…
International Book Giving Day
The Children’s Book Council describes International Book Giving Day as a volunteer initiative that takes place each year on 14 February.
Library Lovers’ Day
ALIA verifies February 14 annually, inception in 2006 by the State Library of New South Wales and current ALIA promotion/support with local library adaptation.