Peoria-area chapter of this women's business group is 3rd oldest in US
PEORIA — Jessica Ford gets emotional when she talks about H.R. 5050, the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988. “Before ‘88, if you were a woman business owner, you could not take out a loan, you could not sign for your own loan even if you owned the business,” said Ford, president of the central Illinois chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners — the group that helped create the legislation. “You had to have your husband or brother sign off for you. So it wasn’t until 1988, when I was 4 years old. ... It’s not that far away, which is absolutely crazy....
Source: pjstar.com