IV. MINUTES, 1919-1996.

Minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee and the State Board. Document types (in addition to minutes) include agendas, committee reports, budgets, correspondence, motions, voting tallies, broadsides advertising events, and other documents which were distributed at the meeting.

The Executive Committee, comprised of the state officers, met monthly. The State Board (comprised of committee chairmen, state officers, club presidents and members) met quarterly (biannually after 1972) and held an annual post-convention meeting in May. Minutes are interfiled according to chronology.

Much of the documentation is of administrative matters such as elections, finances, fund-raising, announcements of scholarships and awards, and reports from committees and local clubs. Of greater interest are the federation's lobbying activities for such issues as continuing the State Bureau of Women and Children, admitting women to all Civil Service examinations, the Equal Rights Amendment and bond issues supporting education.

Of particular interest is a discussion at the 1942 annual convention meeting of the equal rights clause, which the federation lobbied to have included in the New Jersey Constitution of 1947. Also of interest is a discussion in a September 1975 meeting over whether the federation should align itself with the newly formed New Jersey Coalition for the ERA.

Also included are minutes of the annual Past Presidents' Club meeting, a group which coordinated the National Business Women's Week Dinner each October.