Girl Scout Cookie Weekend – February 14-16, 2025

History of Girl Scout Cookie Weekend

The Girl Scouts was started in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Georgia. The first ever troop of Girl Guides (as they were called back then) were 18 in number, and all of them shared a common sense of curiosity and self-efficacy. American women did not even possess the right to vote then and were expected to adhere to very restrictive societal norms. The first cohort of Girl Scouts, however, sparked a movement across the country that allowed girls (albeit only White girls) to realize their potential and make the world a better place in the process.

In 1913, the Girl Guides of America was changed to the Girl Scouts of the United States, and the organization’s headquarters were moved to the national capital, Washington D.C. The headquarters was again shifted when the organization was incorporated in 1915. During World War II, Girl Scout troops were even organized in Japanese internment camps. Girl Scout troops remained segregated for many years. The first ever troop of African American girls was established in 1917, the first Native American troop in 1921, and the first Mexican American troop in 1922. They changed their name to the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (G.S.U.S.A.) in 1947. The G.S.U.S.A. started advocating to desegregate troops at a national level around the 1950s. One of the first successful desegregations happened in 1956.

One of the most popular projects run by the Girl Scouts is the Girl Scout Cookies Program. Every third weekend of February, Girl Scout Cookie Weekend is celebrated to encourage Americans to support the Girl Scouts and to foster entrepreneurship in young American girls. Their cookies can be bought almost anywhere throughout the weekend. People can support their local Girl Scouts by buying cookies in person at their booths or by buying them online.