Church Women United

CWU of Springfield, IL is a diverse group of Christian women which meets monthly and puts on events for the community that promote peace and justice. The local group was established in May 1945 as the Springfield Council of Church Women since it was a combination of pre-existing groups. The name was then changed to United Church Women of Springfield. The name was changed to Church Women United in Springfield in 1969. The CWU worked with many local and international organizations on human relations including civil rights, housing, race relations, Head Start, Illiteracy, and human trafficking. The local unit hosted three annual events as part of the larger Church Women United: World Day of Prayer, World Community Day, and Fellowship Day. As of July 2019, the organization was still active in Springfield.

The collection contains materials from the Church Women United in Springfield and their projects, CWU in Illinois, and the national organization Church Women United. It also includes materials from earlier interdenominational groups in Springfield such as the Springfield Council of Churches and the Springfield Council of Church Women and the Illinois Council of Churches and Illinois Conference of Churches.