On October 6, 1971, Rilla Moran Woods of Tennessee called a breakfast meeting during the Democratic Women's Leadership Conference at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, D.C. to discuss the possibility of forming a National Federation. There were 27 women present from 8 states present who voted to federate and selected Rilla as Temporary Chair. They set the first annual meeting for May 26-27, 1972, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Gwen McFarland of Nashville was in charge of arrangements for the Convention held at the Airport Hilton Inn. Rilla was elected President; Paula Saywer of Maine, VP; Florine James of Ohio, Treasurer (later replaced by Frankie Breashears of Colorado), and Betty Gill of West Virginia, Secretary. Melba Till Allen of Alabama was appointed Finance/Budget Chair.

At the 2nd Annual Meeting on May 25-26, 1973, at the Shorham Hotel in Washington, D.C., by-laws were adopted. The objective of the Federation was to “unite women of the Democratic Party to promote the cause of the Democratic party and to encourage full participation in every level of the Democratic structure.”

The early emphasis of the National Federation of Democratic Women was to prepare women to run for delegate to the Democratic National Committee (DNC)’s Mid-Term Conference where the Charter of the Democratic Party of the United States would be adopted and to pursue delegate seats to the National Convention. The Charter Commission was formed by the DNC to codify a set of rules for the National Committee. Rilla understood that this was the place to gain formal recognition for the Federation as the women’s organization of the Party and gained membership on the Commission. C. DeLores Tucker was named to the Commission as a member of the Pennslyvania State Committee and the Secretary of State of Pennslyvania. As the Oregon Democratic Party State Chair, Caroline Wilkins was named as a member of the newly formed State Chairs Association. The goal was to have NFDW named as the official women’s organization in the Party Charter.

In December of 1974, the Charter was adopted at the DNC’s Mid-Term Conference in Kansas City, Missouri and we were recognized as the official women's organization. Rilla Moran Woods, C. DeLores Tucker, and Caroline Wilkins were instrumental in establishing this official recognition for NFDW through their work on the Charter Commission and the 1976 Convention Committee. The NFDW was accorded three seats on the DNC and the President of the NFDW was granted a seat on DNC Executive Committee.

Rilla served as President when Jean Ohm of South Dakota was elected President. At this convention, the women of the Federation established the Founders Internship for a young woman between the ages of 18 and 25 to work at the Democratic National Committee.

Past Presidents of NFDW