Autumn Raulerson
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The complicated past of women in the workplace in America feels so very distant to our ultra-inclusive present; however, commemorating the history of the women who fought for the right to work remains a special celebration; one in consideration of the decades of work it took to find women close to equality. The fight for equality is one that may never end, but we can thank The American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) for much of the progress women have made in the career field.
The ABWA was founded in Kansas City, in a coffee shop on Sept. 22, 1949, by three women and one businessman: Hilary Bufton Jr., Shirley Cupp, Irma Beisel and Frances Stuckley. These founders saw beyond the limiting beliefs of American society pertaining to a woman’s role in the household and the value of her domestic duties. They had a goal to create a national shared belief in equal business opportunities for the women who had been providing support for the nation throughout World War II (WWII).
The support that women provided to factories and businesses during WWII ruptured historical notions about women’s place being at home doing domestic duties. While most men of working age participated in the armed services during the war, women were forced to replace them in factories and support them in many facets of the war effort, whether in the form of medical care, agriculture, communications efforts or any other position left vacant by the calling of America’s men to foreign soil.
The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps was signed into existence by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942, allowing women to serve in non-combat support roles in the U.S. Army during the war. The Act allowed up to 150,000 women to join the U.S. army to serve as medical care professionals, welfare workers, clerical workers, cooks, messengers, postal employees and communications operators. Within a year this branch transitioned from an auxiliary unit to an active duty status for the invaluable efforts of women on the war front. After the war ended, however, most working women were laid off.
There seemed to be some expectation from the U.S. career industry for women to return home to their “place” and duties as women. This wasn’t gonna fly in the eyes of the working woman – opinion polls indicated that the majority of women enjoyed the experience of working and wanted to continue.
Women across the nation continued to push for the right to work. Hilary Bufton Jr. saw this push and knew that he should create a foundation for supporting and fighting for American women’s rights to exist in business. He recognized the mounting pressure and unequal opportunities facing women after the war ended, as well as the benefits available from allowing women to join the workforce, founding the ABWA as a result.
Later, Bufton would write of his thoughts on the necessity of the organization: “It was my feeling all women were seeking and deserved equal business opportunities. They had gained tremendous knowledge during World War II, through necessity, and I felt a new organization for all businesswomen was needed.”
The mission of the ABWA is “to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership; education, networking support and national recognition.”
The non-profit organization became the nation’s leader in advocating for equal pay and rights across all work sectors. Their success in contributions to the American economy and the nation’s international competitiveness led to President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 proclamation of American Business Women’s Day, commemorating the ABWA for their significant and ongoing contributions through scholarships and thousands of local chapters throughout the states.
Through The Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund (SBMEF), a fund dedicated to 5-year-old Stephen Bufton (son of ABWA’s founder Hilary Bufton, Jr.), the ABWA has made significant progress in its goal to further educational opportunities for business women.
The SBMEF provides four different scholarship programs to support women in their pursuit of knowledge: National Scholarship, Outright Grant, Business Skills Tuition Reimbursement and Impact Scholarship. Each scholarship has a unique set of guidelines and applicant eligibility requirements or procedures. To participate in these scholarship programs, you can reach out to the ABWA nationally or to your closest local chapter for more information or help.
Since 1953, through the SBMEF, the ABWA has awarded close to $18 million in scholarships to more than 18,000 women. Through their efforts, women are closer than ever to closing the gender gap that has separated the workforce for centuries of history. The ABWA is credited as one of the biggest influences leading to this significant victory. Through their efforts, working women are recognized and supported nationally and locally in many different ways.
While national movements like the ABWA championed equality for women in their careers and education on a grand scale, the true spirit of America Business Women’s Day lives on with the resilience of local trail-blazers across small-town America.
For this year’s American Business Women’s Day, we can celebrate the height of equality for women’s place in the career industry. If you’d like to know how to celebrate and show your support, there are a few great ways to do it:
- Join the conversation online, using the hashtag #AmericanBusinessWomensDay as a way to spark discussion about the importance of recognizing women in your community.
- Spotlight and support local woman-owned businesses within your community. Host or participate in special events that bring together or celebrate businesswomen from your area.
- Focus on the professional development and education of women around you. See if they need any support, or celebrate their success.
American Business Women’s Day, a tradition that has been nationally recognized for 40 years, is a celebration and appreciation of the momentous accomplishments and hardships of women in the business world. It is important to remember and honor the women of our recent past who brought equality and the right to work into the social framework of our nation through years of hard work and dedication. It is not lost to this young woman the significance of the opportunities in her life, education and career compared to those of her predecessors.
THE FEATURED IMAGE is an iconic 1943 “We Can Do It!” wartime poster, originally created by J. Howard Miller for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, is preserved in the National Archives. This photo remains iconic today as a symbol of the beginning of a long and ongoing fight for women’s equality in the workplace. Courtesy of J. Howard Miller; National Archives