The History of BPW-Missouri

BPW Beginnings

There were a number of women's clubs in Missouri prior to 1919. Several were members of the Women's Association of Commerce and they sent representatives to the meeting in St. Louis in 1919. The Missouri contingent of the Women of Commerce had hoped that their group would join with the Business and Professional Women, but this did not materialize and Missouri was not a part of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women.

A few months later the Kansas City Business Women's Club was formed and it was this group of women that was instrumental in getting the women of Missouri together on June 13, 1921 to form the organization of a State Federation of Business and Professional Women. There were 5 charter clubs.

This new State Federation was busy. A delegation was sent to the 1921 National Convention in Cleveland and came back to Missouri with the commitment that the Nation Board Meeting would be held in Kansas City in March 1922.

The Missouri Manual was first published in 1936 and was so well received that we have had it every year since.

The State Federation coordinated program goals. Prior to that the National suggestions were used by the individual clubs.

Missouri can boast that two National Federation presidents were from the State of Missouri: Margaret Hickey 1944-46 and Judge Hazel Palmer 1956-58.