On July 13, 1945, Edna Mae Anderson of Tulsa, Oklahoma brought a few women together who wanted to participate in the “chord-ringing, fun-filled harmony” that their husbands, members of the men’s Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA), were singing.  From that meeting grew the nucleus of what was to become Sweet Adelines International, with the goal to “Harmonize the world.”

Within four years, the organization had grown to 1,500 members singing in 35 chapters and 60 quartets in 14 different states.  Bylaws were adopted, officers elected and a system was created to adjudicate national annual competitions to select the best women’s barbershop quartet.

According to Edna Mae, “The original purpose was educational, to teach and train its members in musical harmony and appreciation.”  The main goal was to create and promote barbershop quartets and to give public and private performances for the general appreciation of all the things pertaining to music.

Today there are nearly 27,000 members of Sweet Adelines International in more than 700 choruses around the world who are perpetuating the unique American art form of barbershop harmony.