New-York Historical Society Board of Trustees minutes, 1939-1959

In November 1937, a by-law change resulted in the creation of an independent Board of Trustees to succeed the Executive Committee as the governing body of the New-York Historical Society. The Board of Trustees records primarily include the materials related to Board meetings, including agendas, minutes, committee reports, various documents distributed at the meetings, and some working files from 1939 forward. The minutes of Board of Trustees meetings from 1939 to 1958 have been digitized. These are the original minutes, signed by the Board Secretary, who was typically the Director. The minutes include information concerning acquisitions, dispositions, financial matters (e.g., investments, budgets), operations (e.g., policies, employee benefit plans), facilities, membership elections, publication initiatives, by-law changes, officer elections, programs (e.g., exhibitions, Strawberry Festivals, publicity), memorials, and consideration of loan requests. Minutes from 1938 are bound with the 1937 minutes of the Executive Committee. Records from after 1959 are currently restricted. The digitization of New-York Historical's Board of Trustees minutes is made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation.