Our Mission
The Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council is dedicated to educating the community and celebrating the legacies of local women, preserving knowledge of their past and inspiring visions for their future.
To review the Greater Grand Rapids By-Laws, which were amended and restated in March 2016, click here: GGRWHC By-Laws (2016)
Our Goals
- To present research-informed programs each year about a local effort, movement, or individual achievement related to local women.
- To add to the growing collection of oral histories gathered from many contemporary women who have been important to the area’s history.
- To collaborate with other women’s groups and other historical groups in presenting programs of historical, social, or educational public interest.
- To digitize the World War I Registration Cards – From the moment this treasure trove of index cards was discovered in the attic at the Grand Rapids Public Library, the Council has been a driving force pushing to digitize the records of the 1918 interviews with 20,000 Grand Rapids women about their useful skills for the World War I effort.
- To provide workshops that offer opportunities to learn skills in research, writing, and oral history interviewing.
- To digitize, update, and have available on our web site the 2001 Women in Grand Rapids History: A Guide to Resources in the Local History Department of the Grand Rapids Public Library. These resources include: autobiographies, biographies, memoirs, diaries, club archives, oral histories, magazine and newspaper articles, and other records and resources.
- To publish and have available on our web site a full report on Grand Rapids women’s elective history and other serious essays on dozens of topics.
- To offer programs on women’s history and women’s issues aimed at young women in the public schools and colleges.
- To submit or support other organizations’ nominations to the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame.
- To foster a relationship with the Michigan Women’s Studies Association.