Guide to the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh Scrapbooks 1934-1980
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Zonta Club of Pittsburgh Scrapbooks
- Creator
- Zonta Club of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Collection Number
- MSS 0648
- Extent
- 2 linear feet (2 boxes)
- Date
- 1934-1980
- Abstract
- Founded in 1919, Zonta International was formed to advocate for women's place in business and other professional fields. The Pittsburgh chapter of Zonta was established on April 19, 1934, with Dr. M. A. Graham Mitchell serving as the chapter's first president. The Zonta Club of Pittsburgh Scrapbooks consist of six scrapbooks that date from 1934 to 1983. These scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings, pamphlets, newsletters, photographs, and correspondence relating to events and conferences organized by the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh. In addition to recording the actions of this Pittsburgh chapter, these scrapbooks also document the actions of individual members of the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This collection has been made accessible as part of an NHPRC-funded Basic Processing grant.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
Founded in 1919, Zonta International was formed to advocate for women's place in business and other professional fields. Central to their mission was raising the status of women in the workplace and furthering the interests of female professionals across the globe. The Pittsburgh chapter of Zonta was established on April 19, 1934, with Dr. M. A. Graham Mitchell serving as the chapter's first president. The Zonta Club of Pittsburgh was comprised of professional women working in Pittsburgh who had risen to high positions within their field. These fields included education, medicine, oil manufacturing, law, advertising, and banking. Members of this Pittsburgh chapter met bimonthly. These meetings often included addresses made by guest speakers that would pertain to the interest of women in the professional workforce. From its founding, this local Zonta chapter served the independent female workers of Pittsburgh by organizing various outreach and education events. One such event was the Pittsburgh Women's Career Network Day held at Carnegie Mellon University in 1980. Speakers and workshops were organized by the women in this club so as to benefit and educate the female workers of Pittsburgh. Beyond organizing educational events, the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh also became actively involved in current issues surrounding women's rights in the workforce. In one instance of this involvement, the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh became engaged in legally contesting a Pennsylvania state bill that would limit a woman's work week to 40 hours. Ruth Forsht, a member of the Pittsburgh Zonta chapter, was the attorney who led the protest against this bill. Forsht heralded the injustice surrounding this bill, stating that limiting women's hours in this way was discriminatory and would spur employers to hire men over women. In addition to their involvement in workplace politics, the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh also hosted professional conferences. In October of 1936 and 1953, the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh hosted regional conferences for Zonta International. Zonta members from Pennsylvania, New York, and Canada attended the conference. Throughout the first decades of their existence, the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh also witnessed the great expansion of their organization, as other Zonta chapters were established in the Pittsburgh area. Zonta International is still today an active force in the world of professional organizations. The Zonta Club of Pittsburgh is also still active today.
Scope and Content Notes
The Zonta Club of Pittsburgh Scrapbooks consist of six scrapbooks that date from 1934 to 1983. These scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings, pamphlets, newsletters, photographs, and correspondence relating to events and conferences organized by the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh. Among those events documented are the Pittsburgh Women's Career Network Day and the Zonta regional conferences in 1936 and 1953 that were held in Pittsburgh. These scrapbooks also contain programs and other ephemera that document the establishment of other Zonta chapters in the Pittsburgh area. In addition to recording the actions of the original Pittsburgh chapter, these scrapbooks also document the actions of individual members of the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh. Newspaper clippings, business cards, books, photographs, and other ephemera chronicle the advancements of these Zonta members in their respective fields. These scrapbooks also contain materials relating to Zonta International, including association publications and newspaper clippings. In addition, this collection also includes official Zonta hymns and the Zonta Club of Pittsburgh Charter, both dating to 1934.
Conditions Governing Access
None.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift from Zonta Club of Pittsburgh in 1991.
Archives accession # 1991.0189
Preferred Citation
Zonta Club of Pittsburgh Scrapbooks, 1934-1980, MSS 0648, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Sierra Green on 11/9/2011.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Related Materials
The Library and Archives have within their holdings the following two print materials related to this collection:
Zonta International,What you will want to know about Zonta International, HS2705 Z.87 d.
Zonta Club of Pittsburgh yearbook, HS2705 .Z87 P69 d.
Subjects
- Zonta International
- Zonta Club of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Women--Societies and Clubs
- Women in the professions--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh