New York YMCA Board of Directors records

Collection

Identifier: Y.GNY.47

Staff Only

SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

The collection contains minutes, agendas and supporting documents for meetings of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater New York. Also included are materials for the committees of the Board that include financial reports, correspondence, planning documents, materials related to buildings and branches such as leases and maintenance information, program materials, position papers, governing documents, membership information, and material related to many other aspects of New York YMCA oversight and operation. The names of committees changed over time, with some being absorbed into more comprehensive groups. Others were established as new committees to reflect changes in how the organization was governed. The collection covers the period from the founding of the New York YMCA to the 2000s. In the early years of the New York YMCA, meetings frequently had no agendas and meeting minutes were often-extensive narratives of what occurred. During the 20th century, however, meetings of the Board and its Committees became more formal and agendas were distributed prior to meetings. The collection also includes materials from important staff committees such as the Branch Chair Council and Executive Cabinet.

Dates

1852-2015
Majority of material found within ( 1850s-1980s)

Creator

YMCA of Greater New York. (Organization)

Language of Materials

English

Use of Materials:

This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright, ownership, and to obtain all the necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials.

HISTORY OF YMCA OF GREATER NEW YORK BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The YMCA of Greater New York has had a Board of Directors since its beginning in 1852. Eligibility for service on the Board and the parameters of directors' responsibilities have changed over the years. For example, in order to be eligible for Board service under the 1887 bylaws, a prospective director was required to be a member in good standing of a Protestant evangelical church. Today, directors of the YMCA of Greater New York are prominent community members who support the mission of the Y and who provide oversight and direction to executive staff. Past members of the Board of Directors came from business, industry, finance, government and higher education. Notable board members have included Cornelius Vanderbilt, Cleveland Dodge and Thomas E. Dewey.

Directors were especially important in large-city, multi-branch YMCA associations like New York City in the first half of the 20th century, mirroring the growing role of boards in business corporations. The Board of Directors provided a centralizing influence on an often diverse collection of branches and staff, each with its own Board of Managers that reflected the surrounding community and its particular needs and interests.

Extent

85.9 Cubic Feet (150 boxes)

171.8 Megabytes (35 files)

Additional Description

Abstract

Collected records of the YMCA of Greater New York Board of Directors and its subcommittees. The materials cover the period from the 1850s to the 2000s.