Chicago Home Economists in Business records, 1966-1983, bulk 1972-1980

Processed with funding provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

This collection is open for research use.

Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Gift of the Chicago Home Economists in Business (accession #: M1984.0019).

Chicago Home Economists in Business records (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

Financial records, membership information, board meeting minutes, correspondence, newsletters, press releases, and other records of the Chicago Home Economists in Business (CHEIB), an organization that focused on the relationship between home economists, business, and consumers. Members have been mainly women with degrees in home economics who work in professional capacities in fields related to home and family life. The majority of the collection consists of treasurer's records, including financial documents, correspondence with CHEIB members and guest speakers, and notes and literature from board meetings. Also included are monthly newsletters and other printed materials that contain information about the organization's activities, news about businesses and products related to home economics, and job opportunities in the field. Topics include educating consumers about products and services related to home life, raising awareness of home economics as a professional field, developing professional standards, and guiding the educational and career development of home economists.

Home Economists in Business (HEIB), a section of the American Home Economics Association (later known as the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences), formed in 1924 to integrate the discipline of home economics into the field of business. Chicago Home Economists in Business (CHEIB) was one of two local chapters created in 1924. By the early 1980s, CHEIB was one of more than 50 local chapters and had over 200 members. HEIB members were mainly women with degrees in home economics who worked in professional capacities in fields related to home and family life, such as the food industry, dietetics, clothing and textiles, child development, home economics journalism, and family finance management. The group's activities included educating consumers about products and services related to home life, raising awareness of home economics as a professional field, developing professional standards, and guiding the educational and career development of home economists.

An archival collection named "Home Economists in Business, Chicago chapter records, 1924-1992" is at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Special Collections Department in Daley Library.

• Names
  • American Home Economics Association
  • Chicago Home Economists in Business--Archives
  • Home Economists in Business
• Subject
  • Businesswomen--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Consumer education--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Home economics--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Home economists--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Women--Illinois--Chicago--Societies and clubs--20th century
• Geographic Coverage
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Commerce--20th century
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Social life and customs--20th century

The collection is arranged into two series.

Series 1. Treasurer's records, 1966-1980 (box 1-4, 1 volume)

Series 1 consists of financial records, membership records and related correspondence, and board records. Financial records include budgets, disbursements, receipts, and auditor's and treasurer's reports. Board records include meeting minutes, literature about the purposes and activities of the organization, and correspondence with individuals who spoke at CHEIB meetings. Also present is one volume of balance sheets (1966-1980).

Series 2. Programs and newsletters, 1967-1983 (box 5-6)

Series 2 consists of monthly newsletters, press releases, newspaper clippings, and other documents related to CHEIB activities. Materials pertain to local and national awards, such as "HEIB of the Year," and talks given by CHEIB members and guest speakers. Topics of the talks include information for female homebuyers, the women's liberation movement and the consumer, and women in art. Newsletters contain information about CHEIB programs, job opportunities for home economists, and new products and commercial processes. Also included are some national HEIB newsletters and membership directories.