Boyer, Gene (Genevieve Cohen), 1925-2003

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Boyer, born Gene Cohen in 1925, grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family in Milwaukee. She learned business skills at a young age from her father, who managed a number of shoe stores, and went on to study journalism at UW-Madison.

In 1945, Gene married Burt Boyer. The couple opened a furniture store in Beaver Dam and ran it successfully for 32 years. Although she was an equal partner in the business, Gene was excluded from the local chamber of commerce because she was a woman. That experience moved her to become an activist for women’s rights. Over the years she helped to start and run many feminist organizations, including the Wisconsin Women’s Network, the Wisconsin Business Women’s Coalition, the Jewish Women’s Coalition, the National Organization for Women (NOW), Wisconsin’s branch of NOW, and the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund. She advocated for such causes as the Equal Rights Amendment, sexual assault reform, marital property reform, reproductive rights, sex education, and ending violence against women.

Boyer was most passionate about women’s economic equality. In the early 1980s she sold the furniture store and started a consulting company that focused on helping women in business. She advised women to “get in by the rules and play by the rules,” but then “change the rules.”

Boyer received many awards for her activism. In 1985, she was named National Women-in-Business Advocate of the Year by the Reagan administration. She served on the Planning Committee on the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1994-1995, and in 1997 she was named Wisconsin Stateswoman of the Year by the Wisconsin Women’s Network. She died in 2003 at the age of 78.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Records of the National Organization for Women, 1959-2002 (inclusive), 1966-1998 (bulk) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Friedan, Betty, 1921-2006. Papers, 1933-1985 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Darcy, Lynne. Papers of NOW officers, 1971-1976 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Heide, Wilma Scott, 1921-1985. Papers, 1968-1985 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn National Organization for Women. [Audio collection] [sound recording]. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers of NOW officers, 1969-1976 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Boyer, Gene, 1925-2003. Papers, 1925-2002. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Papers of NOW officers, 1971-1976 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Kolb, Frances Arick,. [Audiotape collection] [sound recording]. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Boyer, Gene. Documenting the midwestern origins of the twentieth-century women's movement, 1987-1992. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Audio collection, 1966-1991 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Kabler, Beatrice, 1928-. Papers, 1966-1982. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn East, Catherine Shipe. Papers of Catherine Shipe East. 1941-1995 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Kolb, Frances Arick. Papers, 1955-1990 (inclusive), 1972-1990 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Wisconsin. Governor (1979-1983 : Dreyfus). Women and Family Initiatives Office records, 1979-1982. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Papers, (inclusive), (bulk), 1955-1990, 1972-1990 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Additional papers of Betty Friedan, 1941-2006 (inclusive), 1980-2000 (bulk) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Pollock, Mordeca Jane, 1941-. Papers of NOW officers, 1969-1976 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Records, 1967-1990 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Rawalt, Marguerite, 1895-. Papers, 1870s-1989 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn East, Catherine Shipe. Papers of Catherine Shipe East. 1941-1995 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Audiotape collection, 1979-1981 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers, 1968-1985 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Friedan, Betty. Papers of Betty Friedan, 1941-2006 (inclusive), 1980-2000 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Boston N.O.W. Records, 1967-1990 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers, 1870s-1989 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Boston N.O.W. corporateBody
associatedWith Darcy, Lynne. person
associatedWith East, Catherine Shipe, 1916-1996 person
correspondedWith Friedan, Betty, 1921-2006 person
associatedWith Heide, Wilma Scott, 1921-1985. person
associatedWith Kabler, Beatrice, 1928- person
associatedWith Kolb, Frances Arick person
associatedWith Lynne Darcy person
associatedWith Mordeca Jane Pollock, 1941- person
associatedWith National Organization for Women corporateBody
associatedWith National Organization for Women person
associatedWith National Organization for Women. corporateBody
associatedWith National Women's Conference Center (National Women's Conference Committee) corporateBody
associatedWith Pollock, Mordeca Jane, 1941- person
associatedWith Rawalt, Marguerite, 1895- person
associatedWith Wilma Scott Heide, 1921-1985 person
associatedWith Wisconsin Business Women's Coalition. corporateBody
associatedWith Wisconsin. Governor (1979-1983 : Dreyfus) corporateBody
associatedWith Wisconsin. Governor's Commission on the Status of Women. corporateBody
associatedWith Wisconsin Women's Network. corporateBody
associatedWith World Conference for Women. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Milwaukee WI US
Beaver Dam WI US
Subject
Feminism
Feminists
Women's rights
Occupation
Businessmen
Feminists
Women's rights activists
Activity

Person

Birth 1925

Death 2003

Female

Americans

English

Information

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Ark ID: w63w07w8

SNAC ID: 85780585