Charlotte Emerson Brown

Charlotte Emerson Brown (April 21, 1838 – February 5, 1895) was an American woman notable as the creator and first president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), (Willard & Livermore refer to the organization as "General Federation of Women's Literary Clubs".) During her presidency, membership expanded quickly from 50 cultural clubs to several hundred, and grew to representing tens of thousands of women. to Reverend Ralph Emerson and Eliza Rockwell. Brown's father was a professor of ecclesiastical history and pastoral theology at Andover Theological Seminary.

Brown was an avid reader and student who spoke many languages. She worked part time as a teacher; from 1879-1880, she served as Jane Addams's teacher of the German language. as well as for regulations regarding child labor and child and maternal health. Under Brown's leadership, the organization grew from an initial meeting of delegates from sixty-one clubs to 475,000 U.S. women from 2,865 clubs in the mid-1920s, and was notable for assisting the career development of advocates such as Eleanor Roosevelt. Membership peaked at 830,000 members in 1955.

Personal life Brown married William Bryant Brown on July 20, 1880, a congregational pastor who served parishes in several states. The couple settled in East Orange, New Jersey. Charlotte Brown died on February 4, 1895.