History
From 18 girls in Savannah to a global movement to make a difference..
Blazing trails and redefining what’s possible for girls everywhere? Girl Scouts have been true to this since 1912.
Juliette Gordon Low—also known widely by her nickname, “Daisy”—started Girl Scouts in 1912 in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia. The first troop was made up of 18 girls who all shared a sense of curiosity and a belief that they could do anything.
At a time when women in the United States couldn’t yet vote and were expected to stick to strict social norms, encouraging girls to embrace their unique strengths and create their own opportunities was game-changing. That small gathering of girls over 100 years ago ignited a movement across America where every girl could unlock her full potential, find lifelong friends, and make the world a better place.
The secret sauce holding it all together? Joy.
1910s
A meeting in 1911 with Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, inspired Juliette Gordon Low to establish Girl Scouts the following year. In a time of cultural change—but before women had the right to vote—Girl Scouts emphasized inclusiveness, the outdoors, self-reliance, and service..
1920s
The first Girl Scout troops were launched outside the United States in China, Syria, and Mexico. Additionally, one of the earliest Native American Girl Scout troops formed on the Onondaga Reservation in New York State in 1921, and Mexican American girls formed a Girl Scout troop in Houston, Texas, in 1922. Lone Troops on Foreign Soil (later called USA Girl Scouts Overseas) registered its first Girl Scout troop in Shanghai, China, with 18 girls in 1925.
1930s
Throughout the Great Depression, Girl Scouts participated in relief efforts by collecting clothing and food for those in need. To meet the needs of the waves of new immigrants, Girl Scouts began printing its "Who Are the Girl Scouts?" promotional booklet in Yiddish, Italian, and Polish.
1940s
During World War II, Girl Scout troops operated bicycle courier services, ran Farm Aide projects, collected fat and scrap metal, and grew Victory Gardens, as well as sponsored Defense Institutes that taught women survival skills and techniques for comforting children during air raids. Japanese American girls, confined to internment camps in Utah and California, also established troops.
1950s
Girl Scouts responded to the Korean War by assembling “Kits for Korea,” pouches of items needed by Korean citizens. They also continued to push for inclusiveness and equality, with Ebony magazine reporting in 1952 that even in the South, ". . . Scouts were making slow and steady progress toward surmounting the racial barriers of the region."
1960s
Girl Scouts held Speak Out conferences around the country to lend their voices to the fight for racial equality; launched the "ACTION 70" project to help overcome prejudice and build better relationships between people; and viewed the Apollo 12 moon landing at Cape Kennedy, Florida, as guests of NASA.