These records document the history of the New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry, beginning with its establishment in 1768. Tracking the wax and wane of the organization's influence over the next two centuries, the collection provides a first hand account of the Chamber's many contributions to New York City and State business and development. These records exist in a wide variety of formats, such as bulletins, correspondence, minute books, and printed materials.

This collection contains writings and speeches; newspaper clippings; and pamphlets, programs and other printed material concerning political and civic groups, covering such topics as women's suffrage, women workers, women as jurors and city and state politics. Of particular interest to the study of the woman suffrage movement in Buffalo are membership lists of the Woman Workers Suffrage League (ca. 1908) and from the Buffalo Political Equality League (ca. 1905).