Historical Note

The Causeries du Lundi is one the oldest women's literary societies in the U.S. still active today. Elizabeth Hamilton Collum, the granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton, founded the group in 1880 (Anniversary Book, 1930). Collum believed in a "better future for American women than a life of frivolity" and encouraged members to own and express opinions outside of home and social duties and document their interests in art, literature and scholarly culture.

Today, the group meets at a member's home on the first Monday of every winter month. Generally, only one paper per meeting is read, either by the author or another member. As many members come from prominent New York families, the papers provide insight into their family histories as well as old New York, while topics most often include ancestry, art, travel or historical subjects. Causeries du Lundi incorporated in 2008 and is now known as Causeries du Lundi 1880, Inc.