Inventory of the Records of the California Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs
Processed by Kim Mitchell
California State Archives
© 2011
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2246
Fax: (916) 653-7363
Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Inventory of the Records of the California Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs
Collection number: C139
California State ArchivesOffice of the Secretary of State
Sacramento, California
- Processed by:
- Kim Mitchell
- Date Completed:
- January 2012
- Encoded by:
- Brenda Newman
© 2012 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Title: California Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs
Dates: 1927-1990
Collection number: C139
Creator:
California Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs
Collection Size:
1 cubic foot of textual records
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The records of the California Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs (CFBPW) document the organizational and
legislative business of this state chapter of the national organization of the same name. This record group contains one cubic
foot of textual records. The records contain one series, Publications, and cover the period from 1927 to 1990.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.
[Identification of Item], [Collection Name], [ID #], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento,
CA.
The National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs was founded on July 15, 1919. The establishment of a Business
and Professional Women's Club in California began the same year in Bakersfield. Later, the name would be shortened to Business
and Professional Women. Their current mission is to promote and support equity for women in all aspects of their lives and
to promote personal empowerment and professional development through advocacy, education, and information.
By and large, the state chapter supported the national body's legislative agenda which focused on elimination of sex discrimination
in employment, the principle of equal pay, and the need for a comprehensive equal rights amendment.
The records of the California Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs (CFBPW) document the organizational and
legislative business of this state chapter of the national organization of the same name. This record group contains one cubic
foot of textual records. The records contain one series, Publications, and cover the period from 1927 to 1990.
The Publications series contains issues of The California Woman, the official publication of CFBPW. Over time, the publication
would take many structural changes. At different times it was published monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly. In earlier years,
it was called a newsletter; later, a magazine; and, currently, the organ of CFBPW. The place of publication and distribution
changed as well, from Los Angeles to San Francisco to Sacramento.
The content of The California Woman changed little over time, though the depth and frequency varied. Issues feature administrative
news affecting the California chapter such as officer elections, committee reports, and convention information. It also highlighted
district events and news. Finally, it provided opinions and updates on legislation, both federal and state, affecting working
women. Typically, CFBPW would advocate the state version of the national platform of Business and Professional Women. Significant
legislation of concern to both the state and national bodies include redistricting, sex discrimination, comparable worth,
Equal Opportunity Employment, and the Equal Rights Amendment. The CFBPW worked closely with the California Commission on the
Status of Women, and succeeded in getting some members elected to the Commission.
No further accruals are expected.
Related Collections at the California State Archives
California Commission on the Status of Women
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Business and Professional Women/USA
Women
Business
C139.001, Box 1, Folders 1-19
Series 1 Publications 1927-1990
Physical Description: 19 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by publication date range.
Scope and Content Note
"The official organ of the California Federation of Business and Professional Women('s Clubs)" is titled The California Woman.
This publication has elements of both a newsletter and a magazine: events of local BPW chapters and regional districts; a
President's message; information on BPW elections, conferences, conventions, and board meetings; news from the organization's
national level; committee reports; popular writings; and, threaded through all, the updates and opinions regarding state and
federal legislation affecting working women. In addition to gaps in the records, there are also chronological overlaps between
the bound volumes.