The Washington Press Club Foundation (WPCF)
is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote equality, education and excellence among journalists in print and broadcast media.
About Us
The Foundation is the descendant of the Women's National Press Club, which was founded in 1919 to ensure that women were equally represented in the newsroom. Today, the Foundation continues to support equality and diversity in the newsroom through its various programs and outreach endeavors. We also work to educate students and the public on the role of the free press. Events hosted by the Foundation build positive working relationships between lawmakers and media, with the shared goal of serving their collective audience, the American people. Our board members and volunteers include seasoned Washington journalists with experience working for some of the nation’s most prestigious news outlets.
Eleanor Roosevelt at her first press conference as First Lady in 1933
For more in the history of the Women's National Press Club click here
Women in Journalism Oral History Project
Our award-winning, nationwide oral history project includes comprehensive, full-life interviews Accordion Body
with women journalists who have made significant contributions to society through careers in journalism since the 1920s.
A fair and equal press is the cornerstone of our democracy. Working in partnership with Washington DC-based news bureaus, the Foundation helps create opportunities for women and minorities to pursue journalism internships. Working with Washington, DC bureaus we fund paid positions so future journalists from all economic backgrounds can obtain experience covering Congress and politics.
Providing future journalists with effective tools to ensure accurate and thoughtful reporting is key to the future of a trenchant and responsible press corps. To reach a wide and diverse number of students at colleges and universities the Foundation conducts a series of online webinars featuring seasoned reporters, editors and bureau chiefs in our ongoing effort to broaden the perspective of the voices reporting on politics and national news stories.
The press and the lawmakers they cover serve the same audience. To improve the working relationship between these two entities the Foundation hosts events to further an effective interactions. The Foundation’s signature fundraising event, the Annual Congressional Dinner, brings together members of the Washington press corps, members of Congress, elected officials and other DC notables in an effort to work towards a cordial working relationship.
The Cora Rigby Archives contain the historical records from both the Women's National Press Club and the Washington Press Club. Digitization of these materials is ongoing as funding allows. For access please contact wpcf@wpcf.org
(then click to the "Archive Digitization" page under the women in journalism project stack
The Washington Press Foundation relies on generous donations from organizations that believe in the importance of an independent and free press.
(then click to the Sponsors and Supporters page)