Greater Washington Board of Trade records
Collection Scope and Content
The collection contains correspondence, minutes, reports, publications, audio tapes, photographs, directories, programs, and artifacts. These materials date from 1899-1997. The founders of the Board of Trade shared a vision of a vibrant multi-faceted region and its history reflects the Board's involvement in almost every major issue concerning the metropolitan area. This subjects includes economic development, home rule, business development, trade associations, race relations, transportation, education, public housing, hospitals, criminal justice, tourism, cultural programs, preservation, consumer affairs, and planning.
Dates
- 1889-1997, 2023
Conditions Governing Access
For unprocessed materials. Materials produced after 1980 are closed for 10 years from date of transfer to Gelman library.
Conditions Governing Use
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Historical or Biographical Note
The Greater Washington Board of Trade is the largest regional network of business and non-profit leaders and the only group representing all industry sectors. The Board of Trade's member companies in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland employ 40 percent of the region's private-sector workforce. Organizations join the Board of Trade to grow their business and help build a better community. The Board of Trade: creates business opportunities through networking events and community-building projects; represents businesses and their employees on a wide range of issues; and markets the region as a vibrant place to work and live.
Founded in 1889, the Greater Washington Board of Trade today operates a variety of programs to further its mission. Twenty Washington businessmen held the first meeting in a parlor of Ebbit house at 14th and F streets, NW. The Board of Trade provided a forum for the expression of local concerns to the federal and congressional officials who held responsibility for the District.
The District of Columbia did not have its own elected government until nearly 100 years after 1874. It was administered by three presidentially appointed commissioners responsible to the District committees in Congress. In the absence of an elected D.C. government, the Board of Trade provided the focal point for the community's most substantial and civic-minded citizens.
Over the course of the twentieth century, the Board of Trade widened its scope to reflect the reality of a growing metropolitan area. Today, the Greater Washington Board of Trade is a regional chamber of commerce representing businesses throughout Northern Virginia, suburban Maryland, and the District.
Extent
241 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Collection contains correspondence, minutes, reports, publications, audio tapes, photographs, directories, programs, and artifacts. These materials date from 1899-1997. The founders of the Board of Trade shared a vision of a vibrant multi-faceted region and its history reflects the Board's involvement in almost every major issue concerning the metropolitan area. This subjects includes economic development, home rule, business development, trade associations, race relations, transportation, education, public housing, hospitals, criminal justice, tourism, cultural programs, preservation, consumer affairs, and planning.
Collection Organization
Organized into 27 series: Permanent papers; Annual reports, annual and monthly meetings; Board of Directors and Executive Committee; Presidents' and executive vice presidents' papers; Administrative Council and Senior Council; Board of Trade, general; Committees; Bureaus; Publications and public statements; Projects; Urban affairs issues; Environmental issues; Housing issues; Planning and development issues; Transportation issues; Employment issues; District of Columbia government; Other associations; Auxiliary materials, 1989 Accreation (unprocessed); 1991 Accretion (unprocessed); 1992 Accretion; 1994 Accretion; 1995 Accretion; 1996 Accretion; 1997 Accretion (unprocessed); and 1998 Accretion
Reparative Description Projects
This finding aid was revised in 2022 to address harmful descriptive language. During that revision, staff did not edit the description, since it appeared the description was supplied by the donors and shows their organization of the materials. To see the Processing information note that discusses the revision use Auxiliary materials, 1889-1986 . To see the description prior to revisions, please view the previous version of the Greater Washington Board of Trade records finding aid.
In a separate project this finding aid was further revised in September 2022 to address derogatory descriptive language related to disability identified in numerous folder titles. As this description was provided by the record creator(s) the description was not edited or removed, but additional information was provided in an Historic Context note at each folder level in order to add context. A copy of the finding aid prior to these reivsions was retained. To view that finding aid please use Pre-revision August 2022 finding aid of Greater Washington Board of Trade records
- Audiotapes Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Boards of trade Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Business Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Commerce Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Economic conditions Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Greater Washington Board of Trade
- Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Transportation Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Unemployment Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Urban renewal Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Washington (D.C.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the Greater Washington Board of Trade records, 1889-1997
- Status
- Partially Processed
- Author
- Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University
- Date
- 2006
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository
