Throughout our history the YWCA has been in the forefront of most major movements in the United States as a pioneer in race relations, labor union representation, and the empowerment of women.

1855 – Young Women''s Christian Association was formed in London by Emma Roberts and Mrs. Arthur Kinnaird.

1858 – The YWCA movement was introduced to the United States. New York City and Boston opened women''s residences.

1860 – The YWCA opened the first boarding house for female students, teachers and factory workers in New York City as women moved from farms to cities.

1870s – Recognizing women''s needs for jobs, the YWCA held the first typewriting classes for women, formerly considered a man''s occupation, and opened the first employment bureau.

1890s – First Black YWCA branch opened in Dayton, Ohio. First YWCA for Native American women opened in Oklahoma.

1894 – The US American Committee, England, Sweden and Norway joined together to create the World YWCA.

1894 – YWCA established Traveler's Aid. Implemented chaperones to liners'' crews to protect women traveling in steerage.

1909 – YWCAs International Institutes featured bilingual instruction to help immigrant women.

1915 – YWCA held the first interracial conference in the south, at Louisville, Kentucky.

1919 – The YWCA convened the first meeting of women doctors, the International Conference of Women Physicians, with attendees coming from 32 countries for 6 weeks to focus on women's health issues.

1920 – Based on its work with women in industrial plants, the YWCA Convention voted to work for "an eight-hour per day law, prohibition of night work, and the right of labor to organize."

1930s – YWCA encouraged members to speak out against lynching and mob violence, for interracial cooperation rather than segregation and for efforts to protect African-American's basic civil rights.

1930s and 1940s – YWCA's trained New York City bus drivers, Rosie the Riveters, lathe operators and others.

1942 – YWCA extended its services to Japanese-American women and girls incarcerated in World War II Relocation Centers.

1946 – YWCA adopted its Interracial Charter – eight years before the US Supreme Court decision against segregation.

1950s – As African countries became independent, the United States sent leaders who moved from village to village to tell the YWCA story and help women marshal their own leadership and resources to create indigenous YWCAs in Kenya, Uganda, Rhodesia, South Africa and elsewhere. Uganda achieved remarkable participation – 90 percent of women were YWCA members by the 1990s.

1960 – The Atlanta YWCA cafeteria opened to blacks, becoming the city's first desegregated public dining facility. Separate black YWCA branches and facilities were integrated into the whole.

1963 – The National Board of the YWCA became a sponsoring agency for the summer March On Washington in support of civil rights.