On December 2, 1932, 32 women led by Mrs. Dallas Scarborough met to organize a unit of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). They named the unit “The O. H. Cooper Branch”, named for pioneer educator, President of Simmons College (later known as Hardin-Simmons University) and subsequent Chairman of the Department of Philosophy and Education. In the earliest yearbooks these statements appear: “Organized 1932, Affiliated 1933". The National Comptroller for AAUW noted that “Abilene is the only branch in the nation not known simply by the name of the town in which it is located.” This distinction changed in 1951 when the Branch name was changed to the Abilene Branch.

Early in our Branch history, scholarship funds for two schools were initiated. Today, Abilene Branch awards five educational scholarships to women returning to Abilene's local Jr. College and three Universities.