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Library of Congress Research Guides

Women in Business and the Workforce

A guide to primary and secondary sources that reveal women's involvement in business, industry, commerce, and entrepreneurship throughout American history.

Introduction

Women have been involved in business and industry throughout history. In the United States, the nature of women's involvement in the workforce has changed over time affected by such events as industrialization, wars, and changes in societal norms. This research guide highlights primary and secondary sources that reveal women's involvement in business, industry, commerce, and entrepreneurship across United States history. Included are select samples of books, reports, statistical data sources, manuscripts collections, and online resources that cover various periods in history. To expand your research please see the Search the Library's Catalog page that will lead you to other resources on the provided subject headings.

There are several research guides created by other divisions in the Library of Congress as part of the American Women series that cover various topical areas in women's history. More guides can be found under Gender and Women's Studies subject area. If you have questions or need assistance within the scope of this guide please Ask a Librarian.

Poster showing head-and-shoulders of woman operating a machine as part of World War II production effort.

[George R. "I've found the job where I fit best!" find your war job in industry, agriculture, business. 1943]. Prints and Photographs Division.

(1943) ["I've found the job where I fit best!" find your war job in industry, agriculture, business/ / George R]. United States, 1943. Washington, D.C.: Office of War Information. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/item/90707072/.

A young woman on a bicycle dressed in white sweater and pants, a hat with a visor on her head and a smile on her face

[Julia Obear, messenger girl at the National Women's i.e. Woman's Party headquarters]. 1922. National Photo Company Collection. Prints and Photographs Division.

(1922) [Julia Obear, messenger girl at the National Women's i.e. Woman's Party headquarters]. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/item/92522519/.

Three young women working at their desks in an office with a large window.

[Three young women at work in an unidentified Washington, D.C. office. The girl at the left is operating an addressograph]. ca.1922. National Photo Company Collection. Prints and Photographs Division.

(ca. 1922) [Three young women at work in an unidentified Washington, D.C. office. The girl at the left is operating an addressograph]. Washington D.C. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/item/94507461/.

Five women coming out of a building, dressed in white blouses, dark long skirts and fancy hats , on of them holding a folded umbrella. The sign on the window reads T.B Beardon Heating Plumbing.

Johnston, F. B. [Women coming from work, Cal.?. Store window reads T.B. Reardon, heating and plumbing]. 1903. Johnston (Frances Benjamin) Collection. Prints and Photographs Division.

Johnston, F. B., photographer. (1903). [Women coming from work, Cal.?. Store window reads T.B. Reardon, heating and plumbing]. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/item/2002710328/.

Women working in the box factory's well-lit workroom with rows of tables, stacks of boxes on them and on the floor. Two women per table, everyone is standing..

Johnston, F. B. Wooden Box Industry: women in work room of box factory. ca.1910. Johnston (Frances Benjamin) Collection. Prints and Photographs Division.

Johnston, F. B., photographer. (ca. 1910) Wooden Box Industry: women in work room of box factory. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/item/2005696173/.

Women working at several row of long tables. There's a row of stacked wooden boxes in the forefront.

Section of Vital Statistics Census. [Between 1909 and 1940]. National Photo Company Collection. Prints and Photographs Division.

Section of Vital Statistics Census. [Between 1909 and 1940] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/item/npc2008008993/.

Four women sitting around a flag draped over a small table, three women standing and looking on the woman in the center sewing a star on the flag.

[National Woman's Party activists watch Alice Paul sew a star onto the NWP Ratification Flag, representing another state's ratification of the 19th Amendment]. 1919. Records of the National Woman's Party. Prints and Photographs Division.

National Photo Co, W. (1919) [National Woman's Party activists watch Alice Paul sew a star onto the NWP Ratification Flag, representing another state's ratification of the 19th Amendment]. United States Washington D.C. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000263/.

About the Business Section

Part of the Science & Business Reading Room at the Library of Congress, the Business Section is the starting point for conducting research at the Library of Congress in the subject areas of business and economics. Here, reference specialists in specific subject areas of business assist patrons in formulating search strategies and gaining access to the information and materials contained in the Library's rich collections of business and economics materials.

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