Press Women of Texas’ rich history began May 10, 1893, as the Texas Woman’s Press Association (TWPA) in the Windsor Hotel in Dallas, Texas, by a group of journalists attending the Texas Press Association (TPA) meeting. Aurelia H. Mohl of Houston led 38 females representing 18 Texas towns to establish TWPA’s original charter, and it became on of the nation’s first organizations to promote the career interests of women journalists.

Since 1893, TWPA has experienced many changes. It was incorporated as Texas Press Women, Inc. in 1961, and later became Press Women of Texas (PWT). In 1987, PWT received two special grants: a $10,999 Rosella H. Werlin estate endowment to establish the Werlin Workshop featuring well-known personalities at PWT conferences; and a $5,000 Ann Faragher Foundation grant to fund the annual Ann Faragher Communications Contest Sweepstakes Award.

In 1987, PWT, a group originally formed to encourage women communicators, experienced one of its more historical changes when members voted to open membership to both men and women.

*PWT’s archival papers are housed at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.*