Business Women's Legislative Council of California.

Founded in 1927 under the leadership of Sue Brobst, the Business Women's Legislative Council of California worked to bring about and maintain equal rights for women in the workplace until the group folded in the mid 1940s. In its own words, the BWLCC's purpose was to "bring about and maintain equal opportunity under the law for men and women in the business world; and to oppose discriminatory legislation against women engaged in gainful occupations." At its start, the organization principally advocated against "protective laws" limiting women's work hours to the daytime and a maximum of eight hours per day. Passed to help wage workers, the BWLCC took offense on principal to the law's apparently unequal treatment of women and men. They also argued that the law prevented women engaged in business and the professions from putting in the long hours required for success. Like their counterparts nationally, they received support from business interests like the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Merchants and Manufacturers Association and eventually the Republican Party. Opposition came from those in the "labor-liberal" and "social feminist" camp such as Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, and his Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, who saw protective legislation for women as a key stepping stone to legislation protecting all laborers. At cursory glance it also seems that between the early 1930s and the late 1930s, the membership began to include more teachers and workers. At the same time, business and professional women's clubs tended to drop their membership. At all times, however, the group drew members mostly from the Los Angeles area despite its statewide aspirations. Initially, some members came from San Diego for instance but membership was generally concentrated in the white, Anglo, Protestant enclaves in West Adams, Glendale and the San Gabriel Valley. In the late 1930s, the first Jewish names appear as board members and shortly thereafter, the group expressed its desire to cooperate regardless of "race or creed" and its interest in the political activities of African-American and Japanese-American women's groups. In addition to individual memberships, the BWLCC included representative of various women's clubs such as, the Zonta Club of Pasadena, the Business Woman's City Club, the Republican Women's Federation, the Sierra Madre's Woman's Club, the Women's Lawyers Club, the Women's Traffic Club, the Women's Aeronautic Association, and many chapters of the California Federation of Business and Professional Woman's Clubs. The organization loosely cooperated with similar groups in other states such as New York and Washington, as well as the International Federation of Business and Professional Women.

From the description of Records of the Business Women's Legislative Council of California, 1927-1943. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 122545636

Historical Note

Founded in 1927 under the leadership of Sue Brobst, the Business Women's Legislative Council of California worked to bring about and maintain equal rights for women in the workplace until the group folded in the mid 1940s. In its own words, the BWLCC’s purpose was to bring about and maintain equal opportunity under the law for men and women in the business world; and to oppose discriminatory legislation against women engaged in gainful occupations." At its start, the organization principally advocated against "protective laws" limiting women’s work hours to the daytime and a maximum of eight hours per day. Passed to help wage workers, the BWLCC took offense on principal to the law’s apparently unequal treatment of women and men. They also argued that the law prevented women engaged in business and the professions from putting in the long hours required for success. Like their counterparts nationally, they received support from business interests like the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Merchants and Manufacturers Association and eventually the Republican Party. Opposition came from those in the "labor-liberal" and "social feminist" camp such as Franklin Roosevelt, his wife Eleanor Roosevelt, and his Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, who saw protective legislation for women as a key stepping stone to legislation protecting all laborers.

At cursory glance it also seems that between the early 1930s and the late 1930s, the membership began to include more teachers and workers. At the same time, business and professional women’s clubs tended to drop their membership. At all times, however, the group drew members mostly from the Los Angeles area despite its statewide aspirations. Initially, some members came from San Diego for instance but membership was generally concentrated in the white, Anglo, Protestant enclaves in West Adams, Glendale and the San Gabriel Valley. In the late 1930s, the first Jewish names appear as board members and shortly thereafter, the group expressed its desire to cooperate regardless of "race or creed" and its interest in the political activities of African-American and Japanese-American women’s groups. In addition to individual memberships, the BWLCC included representative of various women’s clubs such as, the Zonta Club of Pasadena, the Business Woman’s City Club, the Republican Women’s Federation, the Sierra Madre’s Woman’s Club, the Women’s Lawyers Club, the Women’s Traffic Club, the Women’s Aeronautic Association, and many chapters of the California Federation of Business and Professional Woman’s Clubs. The organization loosely cooperated with similar groups in other states such as New York and Washington, as well as the International Federation of Business and Professional Women.

From the guide to the Records of the Business Women's Legislative Council of California, 1927-1943, (The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens Manuscripts Department)