Online Resources
Young Women Organization Research Guide
These resources are available digitally through the Church History Catalog or other online locations.
Published Church History Department Resources
This essay is part of the Church History Topics series and discusses the history of the organization as well as the changes that have been made to the program throughout the years to meet the needs of the global Church.
This essay is part of the Church History Topics series and discusses the “retrenchment” movement in the Church, which led to the eventual formation of Churchwide programs for young women.
The Story of Young Women: Stories from the Founding of the Young Women Organization
This website features stories about the founding and history of Young Women, including testimonies of early participants and biographies of organization presidents.
At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women
This volume is a collection of addresses given by women throughout the history of the Church.
This podcast series highlights the history of the Church and features four episodes on the history of the Young Women organization:
Latter-day Saint Women Podcast Series
This podcast series highlights the voices of Latter-day Saint women throughout history, including many of the women involved in the Young Women organization.
Local and Church Records
This collection contains minutes from the Liberty Stake’s MIA from its inception until the program was changed. The Liberty Stake is significant because it hosted the first Girls’ Camp, which was later adopted by the Churchwide YLMIA.
Ladies’ Cooperative Retrenchment Association minutes, 1870 May 28 (MS 4780)
This item contains minutes from an early meeting of the Ladies’ Cooperative Retrenchment Association, including articles of organization and the names of officers and key participants. It is part of the larger Zina Card Brown family collection, 1806–1972.
Meeting minutes, 1871–1874 (Retrenchment Association) (CR 129 1)
These are minutes of the bimonthly meetings of the Senior and Junior Cooperative Retrenchment Associations. The record also includes minutes for the Young Ladies’ Retrenchment Society, a precursor to the Young Women organization, and documents several meetings held during the fall of 1874.
Golden gleaner scrapbooks, 1948–1953 (CR 13 137)
This collection contains scrapbooks compiled by the Young Women general board celebrating awards, banquets, and other special events. Items in this collection are copyright protected. Copyright-protected images can be viewed in the Church History Catalog by signing in with your Church Account.
Young Women Centennial Quilt Patterns, circa 1969 (CR 13 156)
This collection contains instructions and patterns for a Churchwide quilting project celebrating the centennial of the Young Women organization.
Scrapbooks, 1890-1930 (CR 13 24)
These scrapbooks were created by the Young Women’s organization. They include clippings, programs, and correspondence. They cover a variety of topics. For some volumes you will need to sign into the catalog and request digital access.
Minutes of the Senior and Junior Co-operative Retrenchment Association, 1870–1880 (CR 100 904)
This collection contains a complete set of photocopies of existing published and unpublished minutes. It also includes a brief history of the association, including name changes through the years.
The Advocate, 1886 April (Ogden First Ward) (LR 6391 28)
This collection is a manuscript newspaper for the Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association. It contains religious articles and inspirations, letters, riddles, and a biographical sketch of Abraham Lincoln.
Gleaners’ treasures of truth, 1932 (LR 4197 23)
This collection is a scrapbook created by the Gleaner girls and their leaders in the Jefferson Ward, Grant Stake. It includes tributes to ward members, faith-promoting experiences, poetry, and essays. It also contains photographs and original artwork.
Kalaupapa Branch Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association minutes and records, 1935 (LR 4289 17)
This collection contains handwritten records of officers’ meetings and regular gatherings of the YWMIA in the Kalaupapa Branch in the Hawaii Honolulu Mission.
St. George 2nd Ward Y.L.M.I.A. Minute Book “B,” 1882 to 1883(LR 7750 18)
This collection contains attendance records and meeting minutes for the ward YLMIA.
Gray Branch Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association minutes and records, 1960–1973 (LR 8532 17)
This collection contains attendance records and meeting minutes, including reports on activities and classes for the South Shore First Ward, Chicago Heights Illinois Stake, using a standardized record book.
Stockport Branch Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association minutes and records, 1961–1969 (LR 8721 17)
This collection contains attendance records and meeting minutes, including reports on activities and classes for the Stockport Ward, Manchester England Stake, using a standardized record book.
YWMIA record book with meeting minutes, 1955 June–1956 May (LR 10291 22)
This collection contains attendance records and meeting minutes, including reports on activities and classes for the Worland Ward, Big Horn Stake, in Wyoming, using a standardized record book.
Yuen Long Branch Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association minutes and records, 1960–1961 (LR 10443 17)
This collection contains attendance records and meeting minutes, including reports on activities and classes for the Yuen Long Branch in the Hong Kong Mission, using a standardized record book partly written in Chinese.
Manuscripts
A. Elmina Shepard Taylor collection, 1844–1956 (bulk 1870–1904) (MS 13493)
This collection contains the personal papers of Elmina Shepard Taylor, who served as the first General President of the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association. The records include journals and personal histories, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, and printed books and pamphlets.
Ann Agatha Walker Pratt collection, 1847–1870 (MS 5037)
This collection is a typescript copy of Ann Agatha Walker Pratt’s personal papers, including minutes from an early Ladies Co-operative Retrenchment meeting held in the Salt Lake 19th Ward in 1870, where she presided.
Ann M. Cannon correspondence, 1906–1947 (MS 24943)
This collection includes correspondence between Ann M. Cannon and her niece. It also contains personal notebooks and photographs of medals, pins, and ribbons associated with the Young Women Mutual Improvement Association. Items in this collection are copyright protected. Copyright-protected images can be viewed by signing in with your Church Account.
Bertha J. Stone Richards collection, circa 1893–1980 (bulk 1931–1980) (MS 12956)
This collection contains items collected during her service as General President of the YWMIA. It includes photographs and scrapbooks, journals, correspondence, notebooks, and some printed items. Remote digital access may be granted on a use or need basis. Contact us through the Ask Us form for more information.
Ruth May Fox diary, 1894–1939 (MS 5469)
This item is a typescript and annotated copy of the diaries of Ruth May Fox, who served as a counselor in the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association and later became General President of the organization. The diary includes accounts of her participation in youth activities and her activism for women’s rights and prohibition.
Susa Young Gates papers, circa 1870–1933 (MS 7692)
This extensive collection contains the personal papers of Susa Young Gates, who founded the Young Woman’s Journal, which became the official publication of the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association. It includes minutes and other papers pertaining to the YLMIA as well as files from the Young Woman’s Journal that contain original copies of articles, correspondence, and subscription records.
Photographs
M.I.A. jubilee photograph album, 1925 (PH 411)
Photographs of the M.I.A. jubilee celebration in 1925. Includes photographs of the Young Women’s and Young Men’s organizations.
Young Women subject file photographs, 1880-1997 (CR 13 165)
Contains photographs of various award ceremonies, camps, fashion, drama, and dating. Will need to sign into the catalog to view.
Periodicals
Young Woman’s Journal (M205.Y81 index v. 1-40 1889-1929)
Beginning publication in 1889, the Young Woman’s Journal was a monthly magazine for the young women of the Church. Digital copies of the magazine are available online through the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University. Indexes for the journal are available in the Church History Catalog.
The Contributor (M205.1 C764 v. 1–17 1879–1896)
This monthly magazine was originally published with the Young Men’s and Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Associations of the Church as the intended audience. In 1889 the YLMIA began its own publication, and the magazine changed its focus to the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association.
Woman’s Exponent (M205.1 W872 v. 1–41 1872–1914)
First published on June 1, 1876, the Woman’s Exponent was a semimonthly periodical published by and for Latter-day Saint women. The magazine included local and national news, women’s sermons, minutes of women’s club meetings from Relief Societies around the world, articles on educational matters, health and dress guidelines, correspondence, editorials, and household hints. It was the unofficial publication of the Relief Society. Indexes to the publication are also available digitally.
The Improvement Era (M205.1 I34 v. 1–73 1897–1970)
The successor to the Contributor, this monthly publication was originally a magazine for the priesthood brethren, the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association, and several other organizations. In 1929 the Young Woman’s Journal was discontinued and the Improvement Era became the joint youth magazine. It eventually became the Church’s periodical for both youth and adults.
This current monthly magazine replaced the Improvement Era and is directed toward the young women and young men of the Church. The New Era can also be found in the Gospel Library app.
Published Books
As stated in the preface of this text, it was the “first published history of the organized work of women in the Church.” This book was written by Susa Young Gates and tells the history of the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association (YLMIA) from its creation in 1869 to 1910, when the book was written.1 The online version is hosted by the Internet Archive.
History of Y.W.M.I.A. (M257.49 J83h)
Written during the presidency of Bertha S. Reeder in 1955, this history contains an explanation of how grassroots movements at the ward and stake level developed into a Churchwide program. Remote digital access may be granted on a use or need basis. Contact us through the Ask Us form for more information.
Manuals
Instructions to the Y.L.M.I.A. officers (M257.42 Y73i 1900? no. 2)
This pamphlet contains instructions and guidance for YLMIA leaders at the stake and local (ward and branch) levels.
Guide to the First Year’s Course of Study in the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association (M257.46 Y73 1892)
This manual contains lesson guides on religion, Church history, and personal hygiene. The digital version is hosted by Internet Archive. This is not a Church-sponsored website, and the Church does not endorse the content.
Handbook for the Bee-Hive girls of the Y.L.M.I.A (M257.46 B414g 1915-1916a)
This handbook is the first of many that would be created by the YLMIA over the years. It defines “Bee-Hive girls,” outlines the core values of the program, and lists requirements. The succeeding years of the Bee-hive handbook can be accessed simply by adding the year to the end of the call number (e.g., M257.46 B414g 1914 or M257.46 B414g 1949). Years available include 1915, 1919–29, 1931, 1932, 1942, 1944–45, 1949–50, 1955, 1967, 1969–70
The Day of the Swarm (M257.44 D273 1915)
This item is a program that was held in Salt Lake City, Utah, on September 14, 1915, honoring the girls who had achieved the rank of “Builders in the Hive.” It contains a program for the evening (speakers include the General President of the YLMIA, Martha Horne Tingey, and the President of the Church, Joseph F. Smith) and the names of all the recipients.
YLMIA song book (M285.14 Y72 v. 1 1916)
This book contains arrangements of spiritual and inspirational songs for women’s voices.
Supplement to the Bee Hive Girls Handbook: Program for the Nymphs (M257.42 B414 1931–1932)
This manual is a handbook for the youngest group of Beehive girls, called the Nymphs. It contains guides for evening activities, including religious thoughts, practical lessons (for example, first aid), songs, games, and crafts.
Gleaning: A Course of Study for the Gleaner Department (M257.46 G554 1930–1931)
This manual contains readings and personal courses of study for the oldest group of girls in the YLMIA. It also includes suggestions for leisure activities, games, and social events with the YMMIA (the young men’s organization), as well as general information about the Gleaner organization.
Believing and Doing: A Course of Study for the Junior Department (M257.46 J954 1930–1931)
This pamphlet is a course of study for the junior girls, focused on the gospel principles in the Articles of Faith. It includes a calendar for lessons in 1930–31, as well as songs and poems.
Master M Men and Golden Gleaner Requirements (M257.42 M423 1953–1954)
This manual contains the requirements to achieve master or golden status. Requirements are organized in categories that include spiritual, executive, cultural, creative, and athletic development.
Outlines to Assist in the Study of the Text Jesus the Christ (M257.46 S741 1957–1958)
This manual, published by the Mutual Improvement Associations, is a reading course to supplement the groups’ study of the book Jesus the Christ.
For the Strength of Youth: LDS Standards (M241 C561f 1966)
This pamphlet was first published in 1965 and contains information on standards, propriety, and deportment for young Latter-day Saints. The digital version is a 1966 printing. Other versions are available at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City. The current For the Strength of Youth pamphlet has evolved to meet the needs of a global Church and changes in culture.
Sources:
1. For many years it has been disputed as to when the Young Women organization began. While early publications list 1869 as the creation date, historians now recognize May 28, 1870, as the official date of the organization of the Young Ladies’ Department of the Ladies’ Cooperative Retrenchment Association.