BPW/MI History
Michigan BPW’s history is, as it was destined to be, entwined with that of BPW Foundation. The story began when three Michigan women – architect Emily Butterfield, publisher Emma Spoor, and manufacturer’s agent Grace Wright – met one day for lunch and discussed what is now referred to as “networking.” These three women founded the Detroit Business Woman’s Club to feed their need to enjoy lunch with other working women and discuss the issues of the day.
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| Emily Butterfield | Georgia Emery | Lena Forrest |
In fact, the Detroit Business Woman’s Club is credited as being the oldest of its kind in the United States:
"I think it never occurred to us that we were doing something absolutely unique. I know I never would have had the idea if it had not been that all of my business acquaintances were men, and I was actually lonesome for speaking acquaintances with business women as I pattered up and down the avenue at the noon hour looking for a place where a lone woman might eat," Emily Butterfield said later when asked to reflect on the organization’s inception.
Hard to imagine such a case with our busy 21st Century lifestyles, but it wasn’t long before Emily, Emma, and Grace were joined by two other mavericks of the day: Miss Georgia Emery and Mrs. Lena Lake Forrest. As a group, these women worked towards a scholarship fund, with an initial $2.00 donation by Georgia Emery, to assist women and girls in securing more education.
1917 spurred growth for this little organization when a young woman arrived from Massachusetts to work with Mrs. Forrest in the insurance business. She was Miss Marian McClench. During this time period other clubs were forming in Bay City, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, and Flint. These club members came together for their first annual convention in June of 1918 in Detroit where their delegates decided to join the National Women's Association of Commerce and endorsed "equal pay for equal service."
While the Michigan movement was growing, neighboring states had begun to develop similar groups. Ms. Georgia Emery was contacted by Lena Madesin Phillips of Kentucky, regarding developing a National Business Women's Committee in hopes of joining these various groups into one organization. This contact brought the historical meeting in St. Louis in July 1919 and the resulting formation of the National Federation of Business & Professional Women's Clubs. The Club Woman's Collect, written by Mary Stewart in 1904, was adopted at that time.
The state organization incorporated in 1920 as the outgoing State President, Lena Lake Forrest, began her presidency with the national organization. Since her pioneering steps, Ms. Forrest has been followed by several other Michigan BPW members to the National presidency:
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Marian McClench 1929-31 | Virginia Allan 1963-64 | Phyllis Harrison 1981-82 | Barb Henton 2007-08 |
The years after the historical meeting in St. Louis have included joint efforts of MI BPW members and the national organization working on the women’s right to vote; enactment of legislation including Equal Rights Amendment, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, and the Lilly Ledbetter Act in 2009; and day-to-day activities to enhance the work environment for working women and their families. Even today, MI BPW and the national organization, BPW Foundation, work together focusing attention on today’s working women issues on pay equity, health care, green jobs, and more.
Come to a local meeting and learn more about the BPW women who promote the needs of working women, encourage networking, and build strong, lifelong friendships.
Click on links below for historical news articles and pictures