Brownie Seals the Deal: Tupperware Parties Break Economic Barriers for Women

Allison Tate Senior Division Individual Exhibit Student-composed words: 499 Process Paper: 499

Process Paper

I have always been interested in both the post-World War II era and the women’s rights movement. When I came across Brownie Wise and how she empowered women by holding

Tupperware parties in a time when husbands wanted their wives at home, I was hooked. To me, this topic checked all of the boxes. I found it inspiring that Brownie Wise found a way for women to earn money without upsetting a society set on preserving domesticity and women’s role in the home.

I initially read many books, including Bob Kealing’s Life of the Party, and Tupperware ​ ​ ​ by Alison J. Clarke. The books were so helpful that I wanted to learn more, so I interviewed the authors, who directed me to the Tupperware collections at the Orlando Public Library,

University of Central Florida, and the State Library of Florida. The Smithsonian archives proved valuable for its Earl S. Tupper Papers, Brownie Wise Collection, and numerous advertisements ​ ​ ​ ​ and photographs. The PBS documentary Tupperware! and articles from the PBS website about ​ ​ post-war America taught me how the development of plastic and home parties changed the economy and life for families across America. Interviews with Elsie and Peter Block’s daughter,

Cheryl Clement, and 44-year Tupperware consultant, Sandy Shineldecker, gave me two accounts of how Tupperware changed their family’s lives. Mrs. Shineldecker told me that seeing her become independent through Tupperware inspired her kids to work harder. She also helped fill in some gaps in my research. Mrs. Clement shared that as a child, she was unaware of her parents’ great success because to her they were like every other normal family. Now, she agrees with her mom that Tupperware gave women self-worth and boosted them financially, similar to the way it

1 boosted their family. Carolyn Dykman, who quit a traditional career to become a home seller of

Younique products, told me about what it is like working from home today.

I presented my information as an exhibit because I wanted it to resemble a 1950s kitchen complete with a Philco refrigerator. In it, a Tupperware party is going on, and viewers can see the gamebook, order forms, and other items that would have been displayed at a 1950s

Tupperware party. I backed my images and writing with the pastel colors of the original

Wonderlier bowls. I also included several images of Tupperware sellers showing the confidence and sense of empowerment Tupperware gave them.

My topic connects to this year’s theme because the barriers Brownie Wise broke in the years after World War II changed the way society viewed women working. While it started out small with a few women selling from home, Tupperware parties paved the way for women who were willing and eager to advance in business. Today, the company continues breaking socio-economic barriers by employing women in developing countries, giving them free training and tools; thus enabling their financial independence. From the era of Brownie Wise to today,

Tupperware continues breaking barriers by encouraging, educating, and building confidence in women.

2 Works Cited Primary Sources

Interviews

Clement, Cheryl. E-mail interview. 18 Apr. 2020.

Cheryl Clement is the daughter of Elsie and Peter Block who ran the biggest Tupperware distributorship in America. While it took me a while to get her contact information, I made it one of my top priorities to talk to her for a couple of reasons, the biggest being that her parents are so well-known, not just because of their success, but also because of their falling out with Brownie Wise that ultimately led to her having a group of men ransack their warehouse. I wanted to be able to hear Cheryl's perspective of growing up watching her parents' Tupperware journey. What I found particularly interesting was that Cheryl said she wasn't aware of the raid and other major business things that happened until multiple years later; her parents kept to themselves when it came to the business. At the time, Cheryl thought that they were like any other family. She wasn't aware of how much success her parents had. However, she said looking back at it now she completely sees how Tupperware changed things for her family. She also talked about how she sees Tupperware as something that gave women self-worth and boosted them financially, and how her mother would have said the same thing. Overall, this was one of my most helpful sources because being able to hear the perspective of someone who grew up during the beginning of Tupperware and how it changed things economically for her family helped me see how even children were aware of a Tupperware effect.

Dykman, Carolyn. E-mail interview. 5 Mar. 2020.

Carolyn Dykman works for Younique, a modern home selling company. I wanted to interview her because most women turned to Tupperware to sell through their homes because that was where they were stuck, but Carolyn chose to quit her previous traveling job to work from home. From this interview, I learned that Younique has similar rewards programs and conferences to those of Tupperware. Carolyn has gone to three of her company's long distance conferences and has been rewarded with two completely paid-for vacations. It was helpful for me to see what modern day companies are doing when it comes to rewarding their workers and how companies like these have changed the lives of young women working for them also.

Klaus, Cameron. E-mail interview. 20 May 2020.

Cameron Klaus is the Director of Global Communications at Tupperware and was directed to me by one of the executives at Tupperware. While Ms. Klaus is not one of the four female executives I planned to interview, she is equally as important. I asked her a few questions about her opinion on how Tupperware broke barriers by expanding globally and about how Tupperware's corporate culture has changed from the 1950s to today. She talked a lot about how direct selling offers opportunity and high-touch relationship points that people still crave and love but are harder to come by in today's market. She said that this is part of the reason why expanding globally worked so well, considering those high-touch relationships in selling and

3 buying didn't exist in other countries. Something she said that stuck with me was how Tupperware's first priority has always been changing the lives of people and their families, whether that is American women earning more money and changing their family's economic status, or women in developing countries being able to form friendships and leave the home.

Shineldecker, Sandy. Interview. 29 Feb. 2020.

I interviewed Sandy Shineldecker because she is a distant relative that has been selling Tupperware for over 40 years and is very knowledgeable about the business's start. I feel as though listening to someone who lived through the changes Tupperware had on her family was incredibly important for me to hear. While she was talking during the interview, she kept one common theme, how being independent through Tupperware inspired her kids to work harder. That's because they were able to see their mom conducting a business IN ADDITION TO her daily household tasks. It was so important to her to know that she could be successful. Not only that, but she was proud of how she ranked 25 and 10 out of 3,000 at a jubilee, and how it felt to her to be recognized for the hard work she did. She also gave me a few artifacts to borrow for my exhibit, as well as helping me set up my own Tupperware party, so I can experience one in person.

Event/Memorabilia

Tate, Allison. "Allison's Virtual Tupperware Party." Tupperware Parties Online, 4 Apr. 2020.

After conducting my interview with Sandy Shineldecker, a Tupperware seller of over 40 years, she suggested that I should host a Tupperware party to be able to experience it in person. Due to COVID-19, I had to cancel my Tupperware party before Districts and had to cancel it again nearing States because the circumstances got worse. However, I still wanted to be able to host a party and have the experience to compare to parties from the 1950s. While not entirely the same, Mrs. Shineldecker was able to set up a virtual party for me, and I am currently on track to surpass 600 dollars in sales. I was able to take what I learned about how modern parties are run and how the party games have changed as well as hosting my own virtual party, to come to a conclusion about the differences between Tupperware parties during the 1950s and now.

THP. "A Household Word in Homes Everywhere." Tupperware, 1957. ​ ​

This magazine was one that would be sent weekly to Tupperware dealers across America so they could see the latest products and company updates. I thought it would be cool to include a magazine from THP in my exhibit because it would show the viewers what dealers would look through before a party. In this specific one, I thought it was interesting how many times it said "Needs You!", showing how the company used encouragement to grow sales. I plan on putting this magazine out in front with the rest of the artifacts to make it look like a party.

4 ---. Portrait of Brownie Wise. Rewards for Sales, Orlando, Florida.

This illustration of Brownie Wise was one that Sandy Shineldecker received recently for her incredible sales. In the illustration, it shows Brownie Wise holding one of the original bowls from the 1950s. I wanted to use this in my exhibit to show viewers an example of a modern-day reward while also showing how the company is reclaiming the image of Wise.

Letters

Papers of Earl Silas Tupper and Brownie Wise, Smithsonian Archive Center. "Success and Money." PBS, WGBH Educational Foundation, 9 Feb. 2004, ​ ​ www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-success/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2019.

This PBS article was filled with useful excerpts from the letters of Brownie Wise and Earl Tupper from the Smithsonian Archives, as well as quotes from them. This was helpful for me because it allowed me to see what they were thinking at the time of Tupperware. What I noticed was that Earl Tupper wrote more about money and how our lives depend on it, while Brownie Wise wrote about how much she loved her dealers and her work.

Weber, Lavon. "Letter to Brownie Wise from [Lavon] and Bob Weber." Received by Brownie Wise, 6 Dec. 1957. Bob Kealing Tupperware Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, Box 2, Folder 19: Research materials (Letters) – Brownie Wise, 1951-1958. Letter.

This was a letter written by a mom who sold Tupperware in Kansas to Brownie Wise. In her letter, she mentions how she feels that she and her husband saying thank you and writing her a letter is not enough to express their gratitude for what Wise had done for their family, but that was all they could do at the moment. She talks about how selling Tupperware gave her family the opportunities to purchase and move into a new home in May, buy a brand new car, and many other things that she said only Tupperware money had made possible. What I found the most interesting was that she said selling Tupperware had strengthened and added to her marriage; that she was able to meet new people who experienced the same problems and joys with selling as she did. I also learned from reading this letter, how successful Brownie was with writing her book Best Wishes because Ms. Lavon Weber wrote a whole paragraph about how the book had ​ ​ inspired her to work harder and aim higher.

Books

Block, Elsie Hess. My Tupperware Party Was Over and I Sat Down and Cried. Google Books ​ ​ ed., Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse, 2004.

This book was written by Elsie Block, who, with her husband, had one of the first major Tupperware distributorships. She is most well known in Tupperware's history because of the poor relationship she shared with Brownie Wise that resulted in Brownie Wise sending 7 men to

5 raid her and her husband's warehouse in the famous "Tupperware Raid". I read this book as part of my research because I wanted to see Elsie's perspective on the fame and recognition Brownie got from Tupperware, and on the company as a whole after being betrayed. I learned multiple things from reading her book, including how according to her, THP wasn't birthed until Earl Tupper made an agreement with them about selling exclusively on the home party plan. I thought that specifically was interesting because she is trying to take credit for playing the other major role in THP, when in reality it was Brownie Wise who made that agreement; it shows how her jealousy and rage towards Brownie carried over into her book.

Wise, Brownie. Best Wishes, Brownie Wise. Kissimmee, Tupperware, 1957. ​ ​

This book was Brownie Wise's autobiography. She wrote it for women across America who aspired to be as successful as she was. At this time, it was rare to find a woman in an executive position, so Brownie wrote the book for women in more standard domestic roles and sometimes with little education. Overall, it was interesting to read because of how she wrote it. Something I found interesting was that she talked about how women will give up their own satisfaction for their families, when in reality, they could be a homemaker while also following their own ambition of working. I was also able to use the beginning of the book to fact check my information about the statistics of THP's dealers.

Documents

Gordon, Elizabeth. "National Museum of American History." Earl S. Tupper Papers. ​ ​ Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives, ​ edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0470_ref76. Accessed 6 Feb. 2020. Originally published as "Fine art for 39¢" in Better Your Home, Better Your Living. ​ ​

I used this document because in one of the books I read, it mentioned how an article that referred to Tupperware as "Fine art for 39¢" was one of the first published articles that contributed to the success of the product. I found this article useful because the author took in how the public felt negatively about plastic and worded her article to talk about plastic in a way that made it seem like "art". It was rare at the time to find anyone who talked up the quality of plastic, which was why I wanted to find this article for my project.

Gray, R.A. Tupper Corporation Charter - State of Florida. Report no. 503, State of Florida, 21 ​ ​ Feb. 1952.

This was one of two Articles of Incorporation that the State of Florida archives provided me. This particular one was for Tupper Corporation, which was originally incorporated in Delaware but was recognized as a corporation in Florida so they could now do business there. Without it, Tupperware would have had to limit its business to Delaware and Massachusetts where its headquarters and manufacturing were. I requested any legal documents relating to the company, and this one was very helpful. I was able to see what standards the company itself had to meet to be recognized as a Florida corporation, including the $5,000 tax requirement to the State and having to follow all of the acts under their law.

6

---. Tupperware Home Parties, Inc. Charter - State of Florida. Report no. 504, State of Florida, ​ ​ 21 Feb. 1952.

This was the second of the two documents that the Secretary of State used to recognize Tupperware as a Florida corporation. This particular one was for Tupperware Home Parties and them being allowed to host parties in Florida. THP's report was published on the same day as Tupperware corporation's report, which made sense considering that Earl Tupper pulled all Tupperware from store shelves in 1951, so there needed to be parties in Florida. Something I found interesting was that THP was held to the same exact standards, meaning Florida saw THP and Tupperware as separate corporations and that Earl Tupper had to pay the tax requirement for both companies.

Long, Steven, et al. Tupperware Brands Corporation. Farmington Hills, MI, St. James Press, ​ ​ 2016. International Directory of Company Histories Vol. 182.

The International Directory of Company Histories wrote this sales report about Tupperware to talk about the history of the company briefly and then onto its worldwide sales revenue and presence. I found this report helpful for many reasons. First, I used it to help me fact check my information on my exhibit and to replace areas of my script where the data was off, due to the fact that this is an official report so their numbers are accurate. Secondly, I used this article to help me understand the steps Tupperware took in what years to grow its international footprint. I learned that by the end of 2010, Tupperware had grown to have 2.4 million workers worldwide part-time, with 70,000 of them being in India alone. I also used this article for quotes on my exhibit.

Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives. Smithsonian Institution, ​ edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0470_ref76. Accessed 6 Feb. 2020.

This document is still today one of the most well-known Tupperware advertisements that was used during the 1950s. While reading this document, I learned how Tupperware said things, like how Tupperware parties helped thousands of women accomplish the dream of spending less time on housework and more time with family. I found this useful because it gave me an example of marketing techniques THP used to increase their sales and to appeal to homemakers across the nation. I also plan to use this document as a photo on my exhibit because it is so well known, and the image of the woman on the cover is still used today when talking about Tupperware.

Tupperware...Beauty on any table...Utility in any kitchen. Toronto, Ontario, Dart Industries Inc., ​ 1971.

This was one of two pamphlets from the early 1970s that I received from a Tupperware seller in London, Ontario. These were the types of handouts guests would receive at a Tupperware party to skim the newly released items. This one, in particular, was filled with Snapics, Eggsters, and Stow-n-gos, all Tupperware items from the 1970s era. While my exhibit

7 is based on a 1950s Tupperware party, I am putting both this pamphlet and the other on it. I want viewers of my exhibit to be able to dive into Tupperware as a whole and see how their marketing changed over the years, including their party hand-outs.

Tupperware Brands. "Confidence for the Future: 2018 Sustainability Report." PDF file, 2020.

This was one of the resources Global Communications Director, Cameron Klaus, sent my way to further my knowledge about Tupperware's statistics today. I learned that Tupperware's sales force has grown to 3.1 million today. I used this information to compare with data from 1958 when Wise was fired and Tupperware had a sales force of 20,000. What I found the most interesting though, was the section in the report about Tupperware's impact on the environment. I learned that Tupperware invested $1.27 million in environmental improvement initiatives and adopted the 2025 environmental sustainability targets, as well as improving their energy and water efficiency. To me, this is just another example of Tupperware continuously pushing the bar higher for other companies and beginning to break more barriers.

Tupperware Delivery Form. THP, 1958. ​

This is a final order form that women attending the parties would use to write down their total purchase amount and the date. I thought it was interesting how the total was only $4.42, showing how affordable Tupperware was for the average family. I wanted to use this in my exhibit to not only contribute to the party visual effect but also to show people viewing my exhibit that on every final order form, the dealer's phone and address were listed, so customers could hold a strong connection with them.

Tupperware Home Parties, Ltd. Tupperware: An Airtight Case For Freshness. Toronto, Ontario, ​ ​ Dart Industries Canada Limited, 1972.

This pamphlet was the second one of two that a Tupperware seller from the 1970s gave me for my project. I used this in my research because I wanted to see what guests attending a Tupperware party 20 years after Wise left would see. Something I found interesting about this catalog was that Tupperware was trying to advertise all types of parties, including "Early Morning Parties" and "Afternoon Bridal Shower Parties". They also dedicated more pages to children's toys than the pamphlet the year before, showing they were trying to market to young moms as well. I plan on incorporating this pamphlet into my exhibit somehow, because I want the viewers of my project to see different artifacts decades apart to see a difference in Wise's legacy.

Tupperware Home Party Order Form. Orlando, Florida, THP, 1958. ​

This order form is one from 1958 which was during the early years of the home party plan. I thought this would be interesting to have in front of my exhibit because not only will it add to the effect that my exhibit is replicating a party, but the order form even has the name of the Tupperware dealer. Overall, I think this is a great way for me to incorporate an artifact into my exhibit.

8

Tupperware Modern Award Winning Designs. 1957. ​

This postcard was one that was sent to Helen Blanton, a Tupperware dealer, along with other weekly items for her parties. I used this in my exhibit because it is from 1957 when Brownie Wise was still working for the company and because I thought it would be visually impactful for the viewers of my exhibit to see what people attending a Tupperware party would see. This specific one was for a cereal bowl set, but on the back, it has information about the Tupperware line, which I thought should be shown, because it was how they advertised it.

Tupperware Party Games! Orlando, Florida, Tupperware Home Parties, 1956. ​

This pamphlet is an example of ones that Tupperware would send to their dealers to use at parties. I wanted to use this one because it is from 1956 when Brownie Wise was still running THP in Florida. I placed this pamphlet out in front of my exhibit to make it seem like a Tupperware party is being held.

Articles

"American Women at Work." Newsweek, 27 Feb. 1956, pp. 76-77. State Library of Florida, ​ ​ ​ ​ 1956.

This Newsweek article was sent to me by the State of Florida library. I found the start ​ ​ interesting: "A woman should be good for everything at home, but good for nothing abroad," a quote from Ancient Athens. Immediately following this, the author writes that in less than a decade from 1940 to 1950, the number of female workers in industry went from 18% to close to a third. I liked the placement the author chose for these two sentences because it shows how we have changed what we considered "normal" for women. I also found it interesting how the article mentions that only 1 million of the 20 million women in the workforce at that time were managers or officials, which was how the Department of Labor defined female executives. Along with this, the author also included multiple perspectives from women in these executive positions, including Brownie Wise. She mentions how it is traditional for the men to bring home the "bacon" and the women to be homemakers. To anyone, this may seem odd since she was trying to open doors for women and leave a dent in the glass ceiling, but because of my research, I know she was trying to make a difference without rocking the domestic boat.

Arnold, Kyle. "Tupperware will have its first female CEO in May." Orlando Sentinel, 23 Feb. ​ ​ 2018, infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/16A3F695381D3C00?p=NewsBank. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

This article in the Orlando Sentinel was directed to me by the head archivist at the ​ ​ Orlando Public Library with whom I had been in contact. I found it interesting because it had many direct quotes from the previous CEO and chairman since 1997, Rick Goings, in it. In the article, it talked about how he felt Tricia Stitzel was the person best fit to run Tupperware and

9 empower women into the next era. She had been with Tupperware since 1997 and was the president and chief operating officer for the company before becoming CEO. Finally, the article mentions how Goings' last and Stitzel's first goal was to push into the emerging markets of China and Brazil again showing Tupperware's worldwide influence.

Boyett, Don. "The Lady Who Built Tupperware Had Uncommon Business Sense." Orlando ​ Sentinel [Orlando, Florida], 29 Sept. 1992. ​

This article was published by the Orlando Sentinel one week after Brownie Wise passed ​ ​ away. I found this article particularly interesting because the author knew Brownie Wise personally and started off the article talking about how the people with misconceptions never knew her for who she was. He mentions how some people believe she used mob psychology on housewives but in fact, they are incorrect because she did way more than that. She knew people and she knew the business market. From that, she was able to use what was handed to her in a masculine driven world and create a Tupperware empire by motivation and making people believe in themselves and that is the true story.

Connley, Courtney. "The number of women running Fortune 500 companies is at a record high." CNBC, 16 May 2019, ​ www.cnbc.com/2019/05/16/the-number-of-women-running-fortune-500-companies-is-at- a-record-high.html. Accessed 18 May 2020.

I used this article from 2019 and one from the same source about the same topic from 2018 as background research for the numbers of women in executive or director positions today. On my exhibit, I used this article to contrast the number of board seats women hold in Fortune 500 companies compared to that of Tupperware, which is a part of the Fortune 500. I wanted to show the barriers Tupperware has broken at the corporate levels, too. From this article, I learned that Tupperware holds over 25% more female board seats than the average Fortune 500 company. While the article shows growth for all Fortune 500 companies with their female employees, none of that growth came close to that of Tupperware, which I felt was an important point to make in my project.

Dailey, Kate. "The Tupperware Effect: Can Direct Sales Help Women Living in Poverty throughout the World?" Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2010, ​ ​ www.newsweek.com/tupperware-effect-can-direct-sales-help-women-living-poverty-thro ughout-world-222692. Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.

I used this article because I wanted to understand how Tupperware affects women today. The article mentioned how Tupperware has given opportunities to women in impoverished countries, and how it has given them a newfound sense of economic independence by training them for free as well as giving them the necessary tools for success, all developed around the women gaining confidence and skill. I also learned how Tupperware has started to develop products suited for people in third world nations where they don't necessarily have electricity.

10 Damroth, William G. "How to Find, Hire, Train, Keep the All-Women Direct Sales Force." Sales ​ Management, 1 May 1954, pp. 70-74. State Library of Florida, 1954. ​ ​ ​

William G. Damroth of William G. Damroth & Co wrote this article to fellow beginners in home selling because of his experience in managing and sales in home selling. I was most interested in reading this article because of the 'keeping' part of the sales team. I wanted to know more about how companies would strategize to not only grow their sales force, but how they would ensure that they kept it. I learned that the companies would earn between $10 to $20 per woman recruited, but the women earned close to $300 in sales, showing that they did not exploit their women. I also learned that the companies would try and keep their sales force by using one of five recommended recruiting techniques.

Fishman, Charles. "How the Party Bowled America Over." Orlando Sentinel, 15 Mar. 1987, pp. ​ ​ 10-19. State Library of Florida, 1987. ​ ​

This newspaper article was the longest primary newspaper publication that I was able to read, totaling 10 pages. I wanted to be able to use this source because it covered the how, what, why, and the process that it took for Tupperware to be able to expand their empire across the nation. Something I found interesting was that the article mentioned at the 1986 jubilee the year before, there was a standing ovation when a speaker mentioned Brownie Wise's name. To me, this shows that even though Earl Tupper tried to erase Wise from Tupperware's history, he failed, as decades later, people recognized that it was she who saved the company. The most interesting part of the article for me was when the author was talking about the parting of Wise and Tupper. In my other sources, it was pretty clear that Wise "left" because of a nondisclosure agreement in court when she sued Tupper for firing her without pay or her share of the company. However, in this article it talked about a possible attempt to overthrow Tupper which failed because he owned the entire company, so he fired Wise and fled after selling his company in response. The author mentions how 1958, the year that this happened, could have been the outright end of Tupperware, but the company continued expanding their sales force and began implementing new advertising when sales dropped.

"Life Goes on a Big Dig." Life, 3 May 1954, pp. 172-75. State Library of Florida, 1954. ​ ​ ​ ​

I really enjoyed being able to read this article by Life magazine because it was about the ​ ​ 1954 jubilee where the theme was "digging for gold." The article started off by talking about how Wise and her team hid close to $50,000 of prizes over 3/4 of an acre for the women attending to dig up. In the article, the author mentions that multiple women passed out after digging for many hours in 90-degree weather. It amazes me how much thought Wise and her team put into planning these events. You can see in the photos how excited the women were to get a $70 radio or a brand new Ford car. It made me realize how smart Wise was for putting these types of rewards in front of her female staff. It really did cause them to be more determined.

11 Londono, Yolanda. "Tupperware Provides Opportunity for Women Entrepreneurs in Frontier Markets." U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, 8 Jan. 2014, ​ ​ www.uschamberfoundation.org/blog/post/tupperware-provides-opportunity-women-entre preneurs-frontier-markets/31575. Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.

I chose to read this article because the focus of it was the social and economic outcomes Tupperware has produced, as well as the lessons that can be taken away from it. Economically, we can see that's where Tupperware made the biggest impact. The author, Vice President of Tupperware at the time, reported that 99% of their workers said their financial status improved since joining THP. It was also shown that not only are women improving their financial success right now, but they're setting up the lives of their future generations to be better because of doubling expenditures on education. The article also mentions how Tupperware has set women up to improve their social well-being by expanding their networks and learning how to represent themselves in positive ways, as well as improving sales and public speaking techniques.

McDonough, Megan. "The innovative woman behind the Tupperware sales parties." The ​ Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2017, ​ www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-innovative-woman-behind-the-tupperware-sales- parties/2017/03/03/fe6b8018-60cd-11e6-af8e-54aa2e849447_story.html. Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.

This article was helpful because it gave me the information I was missing about how the first year of Brownie Wise working independently in 1949, she and her team made 85,000 dollars ($850,000 today), and how by 1958, right before she was fired, they reached $1 million, about 8.6 million dollars today. I also was able to learn that in the mid-1950s, Tupperware was employing around 10,000 women and today, there are roughly 2.9 million. Statistics like these from the article are helpful for me to portray the economic barriers Brownie Wise broke in the company.

"Meet the Founders of Fresh." Tupperware, About Us ed., www.tupperware.com/about-us/. ​ ​ Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.

I used the Tupperware "About Us" section to see some of the comparisons between the number of workers when the company first started and today. Specifically, when Brownie started THP, there were only a handful of dealers, but now, there are over 2.9 million Tupperware workers employed internationally. The section on their website also talked about the "Tupperware Effect", which is the effect of women being able to work on their own terms, expanding their economic and social status.

12 Mejia, Zameena. "Just 24 female CEOs lead the companies on the 2018 Fortune 500—fewer than last year." CNBC.com, 21 May 2018, ​ ​ www.cnbc.com/2018/05/21/2018s-fortune-500-companies-have-just-24-female-ceos.htm l. Accessed 17 May 2020.

This was one of two CNBC articles I read to compare and contrast Tupperware to the other Fortune 500 companies in 2018/2019 and to compare and contrast data of female executives from the 1950s to now. From this article, I learned that only 24 of the Fortune 500 companies had a female CEO and that the number had dropped from 6.4% to 4.8% for female executives. Tupperware was one of the few companies that had a female CEO, showing how they have broken every barrier in business. Something I found interesting was that the highest-paid female CEO ever only made 1/3 of what the highest-paid male CEO made. Overall, I used this article to see the data from 2018, the year that Ms. Stitzel was appointed CEO, and while I was not able to use this data on my board because it was not 100% up to date, it was still very helpful to see the differences.

"A Nice, Friendly Time." Fortune, Nov. 1947, pp. 144-47. State Library of Florida, 1947. ​ ​ ​ ​

This article focused on people's experiences with door to door selling for Stanley Home Products during the late 1940s. The reason I read this was because Wise got her idea of home selling from working at Stanley and selling door to door. I wanted to learn more about Stanley's marketing process and how they kept their workers. I learned that Stanley offered home parties, if a guest at the door agreed to it. I would say the most important thing I learned from the article was that the consultants immediately earned pay after a day of selling. In the article, the woman selling for Stanley sold close to $50 and took home pay of $12. In today's money, that is over $220 that she took home. I did not fully realize how much money women were able to make every day by home selling, so this article was very informative.

Orlando Evening Star. "Cadillac Prizes Given." 11 Nov. 1952. Bob Kealing Tupperware Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, Box 2, Folder 24: Research Materials – Correspondence (Letters) – Inter-Office Memos, 1949-1958. Typescript.

I contacted Mr. David Benjamin, the head archivist at the University of Central Florida Archives. He sent me a photo of the original article that Bob Kealing utilized for his book while at the university. I found this article helpful because it was from 1952, making the Cadillacs given out the biggest prizes Tupperware had given out until that point.

"Patricia Stitzel Assumes the Role as President and CEO of Tupperware Brands and is elected to the Board of Directors." TupperwareBrands, 5 Sept. 2018, ​ ​ www.tupperwarebrands.com/en/1243. Accessed 18 May 2020.

This was the article I used for data from Tupperware about their female executive staff, so that I could compare it with other companies from around the U.S. From this I learned that women represent 50% of the Board of Directors and globally represented 44% of the senior

13 management positions at Tupperware in 2019. I used this data on my board to compare to the Fortune 500 average of 25.5% female Board of Directors seats in 2019. I also learned from this article that 90% of Tupperware's 3.1 million person sales force is women, I thought this was interesting because in 1950, it was around 90% as well, showing not much has changed in that part of the company. I also used this article to learn more about Tricia Stitzel's time at Tupperware beginning in 1997 and leading up to her becoming the first female CEO for the company in 2018-2019.

Sterhan, Eleanor. "Double Your Family's Income." 1953. Bob Kealing Tupperware Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, Box 3, Folder 3, Research Materials – News Clippings – Loose New Clippings, 1953. Typescript.

Probably the most helpful source given to me by David Benjamin, a historian at the University of Central Florida, this newspaper article published in 1953 by Eleanor Sterhan gave me another perspective on Tupperware. What I found interesting about this article was that she talked about how she was not the career woman type but had been running her own Tupperware business for over three years. For Mrs. Sterhan, it all started after she hosted a party and made 20 dollars, more than her husband made in a day of mail-carrying, which he had done for 24 years. After she scheduled six parties, she contacted Tupperware in 1949 and said she was ready to commit to being a seller. Within 3 years, she was earning over 100 a week and doubled her family's income; With this, her family was able to purchase a brand new car and completely redo their home. She quickly climbed the leader list, becoming one of Tupperware's top sellers in 1949; Showing yet again how Tupperware has changed the lives of ordinary families around the U.S.

"Tupperware Brings Home Party to Japan." Business Week, 20 Nov. 1965, pp. 162-64. State ​ ​ ​ Library of Florida, 1965. ​

This was one of several newspapers I received from the State Library of Florida about Tupeprware's global expansion after 1958. This particular newspaper talked about their expansion into Japan and the differences between Tupperware in American and Japan Tupperware as companies. Something I found interesting was how Japan incorporated their culture into the parties. They take off their shoes and sit in a circle on a bamboo mat for their Tupperware parties. At this time in 1965, Japan was still more traditional and so most women who attended these parties were housewives. Totaling close to a 16,500 member salesforce, Tupperware took Japan by storm, as they estimated they would have over 20,000 consultants by 1966. Justin Dart, president of Japan Tupperware, noted that while the women are normally reluctant to purchase, they do not mind paying a premium price for a quality product, so it is crucial for the consultants to demonstrate the product well.

"What a Woman!" Orlando Sentinel, 9 Jan. 1955. State Library of Florida, 1955. ​ ​ ​ ​

This was one of the few 1950s Orlando Sentinel publications that the State Library of ​ ​ Florida was able to get me because of the date the Sentinel's publications started being put onto

14 microfilm. I was particularly excited to read this article because it was from 1955, one of the two years that Wise had the most success with Tupperware. Something the author said that stood out to me was how Wise defied expectations by going from part-time to overtime all while being home for her son as well. I learned from the article that THP only had around 50 people working in their headquarters. Now, with Tupperware expanding globally, their staff at the corporate level has expanded greatly. Another thing the author mentioned was Wise's dedication to seeing her staff from around the States, with her traveling over 150,000 miles every year. I truly enjoyed being able to read this article because the author was normalizing women like Wise having jobs that keep them away from home, which during the mid-1950s was almost unheard of.

Whitemore, Laurie. "Brownie Wise Dies at Home Kissimmee Woman Put Party into Tupperware." Orlando Sentinel [Orlando, Florida], 25 Sept. 1992. ​ ​

This was another article published by the Orlando Sentinel after Brownie Wise's death. ​ ​ This specific article talked about the impact she had on the Kissimmee community with accounts from Bob Bobroff, The Orlando Sentinel's Osceola bureau chief during the 1960s. One of the ​ ​ quotes from Bobroff was when he was talking about how Brownie was the most forward-thinking woman the county, and possibly the State of Florida, ever had. Throughout the entire article, there are multiple accounts from men during the 1950s and 60s who held upward positions in Kissimmee and in the Orlando Sentinel who talked about the ideas she had and how ​ ​ she was a "ramrodder" for getting things done.

"World Wide Presence." Tupperware Brands Confidence, Tupperware Brands, 2010, ​ ​ web.archive.org/web/20111217065856/http://www.tupperwarebrands.com/company/ww presence.html. Accessed 12 Mar. 2020.

I used this article to find information about how and when Tupperware started going international. From this article, I learned that by 1963, Tupperware was in six European countries and was in Africa and Latin America before 1970. I also learned that today they occupy over 100 countries worldwide for sales. Furthermore, I plan to use the world map included in the article on my exhibit to show a visual of how far Tupperware has spread.

Industry Film

The Wonderful World of Tupperware. Directed by George J. Yarbrough, United Film ​ Productions, 1959.

This film from 1959 about the manufacturing process and devotion to the customers that Tupperware showed was helpful for me to watch. From this, I learned many things but most importantly that Tupperware not only employed women through their homes but also employed women in their factories. This showed me how the economy changed with women having more opportunities to be involved in the workplace and how socially, our society was slowly accepting that women could have more independence away from their husbands. This film also gave me unique quotes from Hamer Wilson, THP's president at the time, about what made Tupperware different from other companies.

15 Photos

Archives Center at the National Museum of American History. To demonstrate Tupperware's ​ patented seal, Brownie Wise tosses a bowl filled with water at a party. Smithsonian ​ ​ Magazine, ​ www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/story-brownie-wise-ingenious-market er-behind-tupperware-party-180968658/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2020.

This photo is probably one of the most iconic photos from the time of Brownie Wise in Tupperware's history. I chose to include it in my exhibit because most documentaries and articles that talk about Brownie Wise use this photo. Personally, I find it useful in two ways for my project. First, it shows what a typical Tupperware party would look like and how one demonstration was filling the bowl with water and throwing it. And second, I wanted to use this photo because it showed that no matter how much Brownie's popularity grew, she still would hold parties. I think it shows how she truly thought having a personal relationship with dealers and buyers was one of the most important things in home selling.

Brownie Wise gives a Tupperware party demonstration at a rally for employees. Smithsonian ​ Online Virtual Archives, National Museum of American History, Archives Center, ​ edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0509_ref376. Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.

I chose to use this photo in my exhibit because it showed Brownie Wise giving a demonstration to employees at a weekly sales rally. I thought this was important to include because it shows how she truly cared about improving the sales skills of her team. I also thought it was a great photo because the dealers in the audience were diligently taking notes, and I think that shows how she was highly respected for her skills, even by the men in the audience.

5 Tupperware Employees in Indonesia hold up some of the products in their headquarters. Palopopos.co.id, palopopos.fajar.co.id/2019/11/01/penjualan-tupperware-naik-10/. ​ Accessed 14 Apr. 2020.

In my exhibit, I talk a lot about Tupperware's worldwide presence, specifically the impact they have had in Indonesia, a country where traditional 1950s American values are their modern-day society. I thought this photo would be an impactful image to use in my exhibit for two reasons. First, it shows diversity within Tupperware and that not all women who work for them are white middle-class Americans. Second, there are 4 women workers and 1 male; I just think this is powerful because it shows how women dominate the Tupperware workforce.

16 Four women at a Tupperware rally put up posters supporting Tupperware parties. Smithsonian ​ Online Virtual Archives, National Museum of American History, Archives Center, ​ edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0509_ref376. Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.

I used this photo in my exhibit because it shows visually how passionate the women of Tupperware were about the Tupperware products. This photo was taken at one of the many sales rallies, so I also think it's important to include this photo to show an example of the type of encouragement the women got from each other. It shows how Brownie Wise truly thought that building the people builds the business.

Gifts included radios, vacuums, video cameras and typewriters, Boyd Collection. PBS, WGBH, ​ ​ ​ www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/selling-business/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2020.

This was one of my favorite photos because it shows a group of women smiling and being proud of the prizes that they won for good sales. I think it's important on my board that I show a visual example of how proud these women were to be recognized for their hard work because recognition was one of the building blocks of success for Tupperware parties.

Homemaker utilizes Tupperware in her kitchen. Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives, ​ ​ Smithsonian Institution, edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0470_ref58. Accessed 6 Feb. 2020.

I thought this would be a great photo to use in my exhibit because it shows an example of how Tupperware advertised their products as being the housewife's dream. In the bigger picture, this photo shows society's views on women. I feel as though this is helpful on my exhibit to show an example of an advertisement of Tupperware but also to convey the relationship that was played between Tupperware and women.

The Smithsonian Institution. Brownie Wise stands in front of a wall of Tupperware for the press. Florida Today, ​ www.floridatoday.com/story/money/business/2016/01/18/how-brownie-wise-and-tupper ware-empowered-women-1950s/78964496/. Accessed 16 Apr. 2020.

I wanted to use this image because I felt it was visually impactful for viewers of my exhibit to see Brownie standing in front of items of the empire she built when talking about how she blazed a trail for those who followed. I purposely chose this image instead of a headshot because to me, it shows how excited she got when being around Tupperware at all, and I wanted people to see that. Overall, I thought this photo fit with what I was saying the best and still made the point of how involved she was with the press for her business.

17 Tupper and Wise smile for a photo while holding polyethylene. Smithsonian Online Virtual ​ Archives, National Museum of American History, Archives Center, ​ edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0470_ref92. Accessed 10 Mar. 2020.

I chose to use this photo because even though it was staged, it showed Brownie Wise excited about every aspect of Tupperware. It also showed how she went and visited the factory, on top of running THP in Florida. Furthermore, it shows Wise and Tupper's personalities at a time where their relationship was good.

Tupper hands Wise the keys to her own Cadillac, earned from her hard work at THP. Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives, National Museum of American History, Archives ​ Center, edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0470_ref91. Accessed 10 Mar. 2020.

This photo shows one example of how women were rewarded for their hard work by Tupper handing the keys of a Cadillac to Wise. I thought this photo would be beneficial to use in my exhibit because I want viewers to understand how Tupperware KNEW what women wanted, and used that to their advantage to increase sales.

Tupperware. Tricia Stitzel, the first female CEO of Tupperware, has resigned, the company announced Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019. Orlando Sentinel, ​ ​ www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-tupperware-ceo-steps-down-20191112-osypyty h3bcvrp6ecuiapjydda-story.html. Accessed 20 May 2020.

Tricia Stitzel was the first female CEO of Tupperware from 2018 to 2019. I wanted to include a photo of her on my board for multiple reasons. For starters, I wanted the first thing viewers of my exhibit saw underneath "Wise's Legacy" to be the first woman leading the company since Wise. I purposely chose to do that because I wanted to show how Tupperware has continuously broken barriers, including corporate barriers for women. I felt that having Ms. Stitzel's picture next to data about female executives at Tupperware compared to other companies sent a powerful message.

Tupperware ad, 1960s. Smithsonian Magazine, ​ ​ ​ www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/story-brownie-wise-ingenious-market er-behind-tupperware-party-180968658/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2020.

I think what drew me to this photo was the caption "She's earning good money-And having fun too! And so could you!" I feel like this is an important photo to include in my project because it shows an example of how Tupperware advertised their products. Specifically how they were advertising to appeal to a certain group, women across America.

18 Tupperware-Banner-photo - Women Executive Leadership - Florida. Women Executive ​ ​ Leadership, Welflorida, welflorida.org/home-old/31-tupperware-banner-photo/. Accessed ​ 20 May 2020.

This photo was of female executives of Tupperware attending a Women Executive Leadership event. When I was not able to find a photo of the current main four female executives or the female Board of Directors together, I figured the next best thing was to include a photo of a group of other Tupperware executives attending a seminar. I purposely placed this near a quote about the difference in numbers of female executives at Tupperware compared to other U.S. companies because I wanted viewers to see some of the women that set Tupperware apart, considering the company has 25% more female board members than the average U.S. company. I also purposely placed this image under "Wise's Legacy" because this is what she would have wanted, not only women becoming independent and improving their financial lives, but being able to hold corporate-level jobs with men.

Tupperware Executives Tour Plant. Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives, National Museum of ​ ​ American History, Archives Center, edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0509_ref349. Accessed 10 Mar. 2020.

I wanted to use this photo in my exhibit because I thought it was interesting how the majority of the executives at Tupperware were men, yet the women were the reason the company took off. I think it would be beneficial for viewers of my exhibit to see that, especially in a casual setting.

Tupperware home party in Sarasota, Florida. Wikimedia Commons, MediaWiki, ​ ​ ​ commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tupperware_home_party_in_Sarasota,_Florida_(9005 266839).jpg. Accessed 13 Mar. 2020.

I used this photo because I wanted to show the viewers of my exhibit the interactions between the seller and the buyers. The women pictured all have smiling faces and are clearly interested in the seller's presentation. I thought that was something that should be shown because of the excitement that surrounded going to a Tupperware party.

A Tupperware lady and her family smile at a circus-themed jubilee. Smithsonian Online Virtual ​ Archives, National Museum of American History, Archives Center, ​ edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0470_ref91. Accessed 10 Mar. 2020.

This photo embodies what Tupperware was all about, hard work will get you fun and bring you rewards. In this photo, a Tupperware employee and her husband and son all smile as an entertainer "blesses" them. To me, I think this shows how because of her hard work, she was able to have fun and so was her family. Because this is one of the biggest points in my project, I felt as though this photo should be included.

19 Tupperware party with kooky hats and games. Dusty Old Thing, Great Life Publishing, ​ ​ dustyoldthing.com/tupperware-parties-10photos/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2020.

This image, of all of the Tupperware party photos, is my favorite and for good reason. I want to portray on my exhibit the fun and relaxation that women got by going to these parties. They were able to get out of their stressful home lives with cleaning the house and watching the kids by going to a social event that not only would benefit their family, but themselves. The reason I put this photo on my exhibit is because of how much fun the women look like they're having by wearing "kooky" hats. I think this shows how Tupperware played off of consumerism at the time by making the parties directly about women's enjoyment.

Tupperware Recruitment Ad. Dusty Old Thing, Great Life Publishing, ​ ​ dustyoldthing.com/tupperware-parties-10photos/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2020.

This photo is of a Tupperware ad from the 1950s where two women are looking out their window and observing the gifts earned by their neighbor who sells Tupperware. I chose to use this image in my exhibit because I wanted to show a variety of advertisements from Tupperware. More specifically, I liked how this ad played off of the prizes that could be won and how more people should become sellers.

A woman holds up a fur coat she dug up at the 1954 jubilee. 1954. Smithsonian Online Virtual ​ Archives, National Museum of American History, Archives Center, ​ edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0509_ref379. Accessed 14 Mar. 2020.

In this photo, taken at the 1954 jubilee, where women dressed up as cowboys and dug for treasure, a woman holds up a fur coat she dug up. I thought this showed how dedicated the THP staff was to rewarding the women and how happy the women were after winning prizes and being recognized. I plan to use this on my exhibit when I talk about the first jubilee held.

Women of Tupperware sit through a Jubilee conference on selling skills and strategies. Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives, National Museum of American History, Archives ​ Center, edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0509_ref376. Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.

This photo is useful for my project because it shows what a jubilee conference looks like. When most people think of a Tupperware jubilee, they think of women playing games and having fun, and while that is true, they also sat through hours of conferences a day. I feel like it's important to show that they were dedicated to improving themselves as saleswomen and worked hard to become better.

20 Women work at a Tupperware plant assembling items. Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives, ​ ​ National Museum of American History, Archives Center, edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.0470_ref88. Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.

I wanted to use a photo showing that some women worked in manufacturing because most people assume women only ever worked at home, and while that's true for the majority, it is not true for all of the female employees. I also thought the focus shown by the women in the photos and their attention to detail of the product showed how they were good workers.

Secondary Sources

Interviews

Clarke, Alison J. E-mail interview. 12 Mar. 2020.

Alison J. Clarke is an author whose book about Tupperware was published by Smithsonian. I decided to reach out to her because of her knowledge and one on one workings with the Smithsonian Tupperware archives. I learned multiple things from this interview, including about the 1950s economy and the misconceptions about Tupperware. When it came to the time period of Tupperware, Professor Clarke talked about how the post-World War II economy was mass-producing products and relied on marketing strategies to sell them, and how the ambitious homemakers pulled it off. When I asked if our economy today would ever experience this, she said no because of how analog production is no longer a driving force. The second thing I learned from this interview was how people saw Tupperware ladies as white women from middle-class nuclear families when in reality, the women were diverse among ethnicity and social class, as well as where they were from.

Kealing, Bob H. E-mail interview. 2 Mar. 2020.

Bob Kealing is the author of the book Life of the Party, a biography about Brownie ​ ​ Wise's time at Tupperware and how she made Tupperware go from rags to riches. I wanted to reach out to him and interview him because he spent weeks poring over the Tupperware archives at the Smithsonian, filled with papers from the beginning of Brownie Wise and Earl Tupper that are not digitized yet. Over the course of our interview, I learned a lot of things about his opinion on what happened with Elsie Block and Brownie Wise and his opinion on why Tupperware has brought back the image of Brownie Wise. One of the things he said that stuck with me was why and how Tupperware succeeded by using recognition with women who wouldn't have gotten it from scrubbing the floors. I used that and other quotes on my board.

Vincent, Susan. E-mail interview. 8 Apr. 2020.

I originally contacted Susan Vincent because she was the author of a research article about Tupperware and preserving domesticity that I was interested in reading. After reading her article, I wanted to interview her because she takes a different perspective on the effects of

21 Tupperware. I learned two important things from interviewing Ms. Vincent about the effects the waves of feminism have on women's perception of Tupperware and on other companies copying Tupperware's party plan method. When it comes to the waves of feminism, the women who make up the second wave and were young mothers during the beginning of Tupperware, see Tupperware as a savior because they were trying to fight society's assumptions that they would be housewives and get professional careers. The younger generation that makes up the newer waves of feminism, sees it as quaint and a thing of the past, as women today are expected to go to university and hold a career. The second thing that I really took away from the interview was that whenever a company comes up with a winning formula for generating sales, other companies soon copy that formula with their own products; Like how Mary Kay used Brownie Wise's party plan to fit their makeup products. Overall, while I do not necessarily agree with Ms. Vincent's opinion that Tupperware used various pre-existing cultural patterns for their own advantage, I still found it incredibly helpful for me to be able to talk to her and see her perspective.

Lecture

Wallace Dickinson, Joy. "Great Figures From the Fifties: Brownie Wise, Orlando Remembered." 18 Sept. 2019. Orlando Memory, ​ ​ orlandomemory.info/events/joy-wallace-dickinson-a-special-presentation-at-orlando-rem embered/. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020. Speech.

This speech given at the Orlando Remembered meeting by Orlando historian Joy Wallace Dickinson was directed to me by Orlando Public Library archivist Jane Tracy. She emailed me the link to the website her library held that had the transcript and audio recording of when Ms. Wallace Dickinson talked about Brownie Wise in her speech. What I learned from the speech was the impact Brownie Wise and Tupperware had on Florida as a whole. In her speech, Ms. Wallace Dickinson mentions how she never met her or knew her but learned the impact she had on women from her mother and her friends. I found this to be the main take away from the speech, because it shows the influence Wise had on women in THP's home state, Florida, but also the women in the U.S. as a whole.

Documents/Reports

Kealing, Bob. "Florida Women's Hall of Fame 2007-2008 Nomination Form: Brownie Wise." PDF file, 16 July 2007.

This PDF document of Bob Kealing's request to add Brownie Wise to the Florida Women's Hall of Fame was given to me by the State of Florida Archives. Bob Kealing is an author who wrote a biography about Wise and her work in 2008 and spent years going through boxes of research about her work at Smithsonian. He wrote this application for her to be added a year before he published his book. To me that shows how he wanted to bring recognition to her name before his own success. In his report, he mentions how it's crucial to recognize someone who overcame the barriers of sexism in the South to lead a company and a generation of women to success. I also liked how Kealing included that she was the Oprah of the 1950s, opening doors

22 for women to get involved with business. Overall, the award application was helpful because I could see how she was nominated and what was said about her.

Lamb, Vanessa Martins. "The 1950's and the 1960's and the American Woman: the transition from the 'housewife' to the feminist." PDF file, 2 Apr. 2012.

In my project, I make the important point that Brownie Wise and her creation of Tupperware home parties opened doors for women who were stuck at home to become financially and socially independent in a patriarchal society. I realized I was lacking research to back my claims about 1950s expectations for women and about society's expectations so I read this report about how women transitioned from housewives to feminists who were able to hold careers. This document allowed me to see how society viewed women during the 1950s. The author points out that around America, female students at the time were reading from textbooks, "Have dinner ready, prepare yourself, prepare the children, minimize all noise, be happy to see him, listen to him, make the evening his." Society confined women at the time by making them have one personality while their husbands were allowed two, home, and work. All of these expectations built up and caused restlessness when women started to feel like there was nothing more in life than at home. The ideology of housewives and husbands wanting the ideal woman, one who would cook, clean, and produce offspring, all contributed to the beginning of the feminist movement. Which was where Tupperware parties and allowing women a break from home came into play, also influencing the movement by showing that women could hold jobs in business.

Books

Christensen, Mary. Be a Party Plan Superstar: Build a $100,000-a-year Direct Selling Business ​ from Home. Internet Archive ed., New York, American Management Association 2011, ​ 1951.

I chose to read this book because it was originally published in 1951 when Brownie Wise first began her home parties for women. The title of this book is what caught my eye the most. It was strategic to put the amount of money women could earn in the title to show them how much their family's economic state could improve. While Wise's book was more about positivity and following your dreams, this book is equally as important as it gives women the steps to take to become successful, including how to book parties efficiently and smart, how to set the stage properly for the best sales, and how to follow up post-party. While this book did not solely focus on Tupperware the entire time, all of what the author said applied to the consultants during that time. I read this book for background information about how to plan parties but it also allowed me to see what business "manuals" were available for female workers at that time when they were expected to stay at home.

23 Clarke, Alison J.. Tupperware: The Promise of Plastic in 1950s America. Pbk. reissue of the ​ ​ orig. hardback ed., Washington, Smithsonian Inst. Press, 2001.

This book by Alison J. Clarke, a historian on Tupperware, was very useful for my project. It helped me understand multiple things, including how right after Earl Tupper sold the company, Rexall began the global "tupperization" to expand their market and change the lives of women in other countries. I also learned how Tupperware was advertised specifically to the middle class white suburban family. Earl Tupper designed the convenient products to appeal to the families of America, and Brownie Wise designed the incentives and games to appeal to the "Mrs. Homemakers" of America.

Kealing, Bob. Life of the Party: The Remarkable Story of How Brownie Wise Built, and Lost, a ​ Tupperware Party Empire. Revised edition. ed., New York, Crown Archetype, 2016. ​

This was the first book I used for my project, and it was by far one of the most informative resources I have come across. For one, at the beginning of the book, the author talked a lot about Brownie Wise's history with home selling with another company based in Michigan, Stanley Home Products, and how that influenced her to try home selling Tupperware. Another thing this book went into detail about that I found helpful was covering smaller stories of American women and how Brownie Wise changed their lives by showing that women can handle executive positions. I thought this was important because not only did the book show how America as a whole was affected but also how Wise helped and gave opportunities to the women stuck in their homes. I would say, finally, that this book gave me a better knowledge of what happened in 1957 and 1958 that rocked Brownie Wise and Earl Tupper's relationship and the key Tupperware events like the 1957 jubilee that played into him firing her in January of 1958. This book also gave me the photo of Brownie Wise on the cover of Business week that I put on my exhibit.

Mason, Fergus. Brownie Wise, Tupperware Queen: A Biography. Google Books ed., BookCaps ​ ​ Study Guides, 2014.

This was a secondary source book I read to further my research and understanding of Brownie Wise's legacy. In the introduction of the book, I found it interesting how the author mentioned that Tupperware itself, during the 1950s, was a boring product. It was Wise's genius that recognized that no one can turn down a party. The author also talked about how Wise realized the difference between Stanley's cleaning products and Tupperware products and knew that selling door to door would not work for Tupperware bowls. Wise was born into a generation where all women stayed at home but kept persevering for women to work, even after they lost that right when the men returned from WWII. Overall, while this book was similar to others I had read during my research, it stood out in that it talked a lot about why parties in particular were the answer.

24 Meikle, Jeffrey L. American Plastic: A Cultural History. Boulder, NetLibrary, 1995. ​ ​

I wanted to read this book to understand more in-depth how plastic went from being disregarded because of utopian expectations to being inferior to the products that came before it and being used in everyday life. He started off talking about the history of bakelite, one of the first plastics; This was interesting to read because some of the earliest assumptions of plastic being poor quality and brittle were because of this type of plastic. Which was what caused Earl Tupper to begin practicing on his company's extra polyethylene for his bowls. Overal,l I would say this book helped me connect dots between types of plastic and the changing assumptions about them. I was able to take my previous knowledge about the timeline of Tupperware and overlap it with the book's timeline.

Williams, L. Susan, and Michelle Bemiller. Women at Work: Tupperware, Passion Parties, and ​ beyond. Boulder, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2011. ​

I found this book particularly interesting because it discussed whether or not Tupperware parties were a good thing. During part of the book, the authors played devil's advocate by arguing that they took advantage of women's personal lives for corporate gain. However, the majority of the book supported my claim that these parties empowered individual women. Overall, I think this book was helpful for me to read because not only was I able to gain more knowledge about how gender and work overlap, but I was also able to see my project from the opposite standpoint.

Articles

"Annual Financials for Tupperware Brands Corp." MarketWatch, 2019, ​ ​ www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/tup/financials. Accessed 20 May 2020.

I used this website to view Tupperware's annual sales data and their decreases/increases over the past five years. I wanted to show the difference between Tupperware's annual sales in 1958, when Wise was fired, compared to now, in my special awards essay. I learned that in 2019, Tupperware made 1.8 billion dollars compared to the 10 million Wise and Tupper totaled in 1958 (Around $88 million in today's money). I also learned from MarketWatch that from 2015 to 2019, Tupperware lost close to half a billion dollars in sales. I found this interesting because Tupperware fired Tricia Stitzel, the first female CEO, recently after stocks fell and considering from 2018 to 2019 their average sales dropped 33%, that is not completely surprising.

Bisset, Colin. "Tupperware: the first social network." Radionational ABC, ABC, 5 Aug. 2013, ​ ​ www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/bydesign/4862118. Accessed 31 Jan. 2020.

This article from ABC was useful to read because it talked about the different ways people viewed Tupperware parties. Some saw them as a reminder to women that their place was in the home, but most recognize that the way Tupperware was marketed allowed women to earn financial independence by working while not upsetting the men of America and their

25 masculinity. Overall, this article talked about the important role Tupperware parties played in 1950s society and how it had a part in influencing the feminist movement.

"Brownie Wise." PBS, WGBH Educational Foundation, 9 Feb. 2004, ​ ​ www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-wise/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2020.

I chose to use this article because it talked about what events in Wise's past influenced the amount of success she had as an entrepreneur. For example, Brownie's family said that after she dropped out of school in eighth grade, she ended up giving speeches at her mother's union meeting. This led to her aspiring to become a businesswoman, and later she went to a YWCA camp with other girls with the same goal. This article, in general, was a very helpful biography that gave me a summary of what happened in Brownie's life before Tupperware house parties.

Cochrane, Joe. "Tupperware's Sweet Spot Shifts to Indonesia." The New York Times, 28 Feb. ​ ​ 2015, www.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/world/asia/tupperwares-sweet-spot-shifts-to-indonesia.ht ml. Accessed 20 Mar. 2020.

This source was definitely of benefit to me because it helped me understand how Tupperware has made a difference in women's lives worldwide. Specifically, the article focused on Indonesia and how in 2015, when the article was written, that country surpassed Germany for the most worldwide sales. What I learned from this article were the reasons why that happened. In 1974, Indonesia passed its Marriage Law which in short outlined how the man was the head of the household and the woman is the caretaker of the children and house. This led to Tupperware taking off because the majority of families in Indonesia were living paycheck to paycheck because the mothers could not work, Tupperware allowed these women to push past their insecurities and take a new role. Regular meetings with friend groups to catch up on neighborhood and family news and gossip were the perfect social platform to allow the party plan to take off in the country. Overall, this article was helpful for me to read because it helped me understand how Tupperware is changing the lives of women today by showing me evidence of statistics, and it gave me a photo of a Tupperware party being held in Indonesia to put on the international expansion section of my board.

De Vidas, Anath Ariel. "Containing modernity: The social life of Tupperware in a Mexican indigenous village." Ethnography from Sage Publications, PDF ed., vol. 9, no. 2, June ​ ​ 2008, pp. 257-84.

This was another resource given to me by Professor Alison J. Clarke to read about another area around the globe where Tupperware has had a positive effect. The author of the article wanted to research the indigenous communities that consume products from the capitalist markets in their neighboring non-indigenous communities after discovering a Tupperware bowl in one of La Esperanza's huts, an indigenous community. I learned from this article how these communities have not necessarily modernized over the years but rather have melted together the symbolic economy within their village with the monetary economy on the outside. This means

26 that they are able to keep their village's form of trade and other types of economic transactions while learning how the monetary economy works by hosting Tupperware parties. This stood out to me the most because not only are the women of the village being empowered and Tupperware expanding, but Tupperware is introducing villages to modern social and technological changes without ripping apart their community's foundation.

"Earl Silas Tupper." PBS, WGBH Educational Foundation, 9 Feb. 2004, ​ ​ www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-tupper/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2020.

This article was helpful to me because it gave me information about how Earl Tupper got involved with the plastics industry and how he got the idea for Tupperware products. This source wasn't one that gave me just the information of his and Brownie Wise's split but rather what Earl Tupper did after selling the company and some of his final words before his death. Overall, this source helped me understand the bigger picture, which was his effect on the plastic industry, and also the smaller picture, how the split affected Tupperware.

Eschner, Kat. "The Story of Brownie Wise, the Ingenious Marketer Behind the Tupperware Party." Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2018, ​ ​ www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/story-brownie-wise-ingenious-market er-behind-tupperware-party-180968658/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2019.

I used this article as a basic foundation for my knowledge because it had a rough timeline of Tupperware events. I also used this article because it gave me avenues to pursue when it came to researching and digging deeper into my topic, including contacting Smithsonian for their virtual archives and finding the book Life of the Party. The article talked a lot about how ​ ​ Brownie Wise inspired and empowered women and also gave them opportunities to gain independence outside of the home, which helped me design my thesis.

Goudreau, Jenna. "The Tupperware Effect, Empowering Women Around The World." Forbes, ​ ​ 14 Feb. 2011, www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2011/02/14/the-tupperware-effect-empowering-wo men-around-the-world-rick-goings-jobs-hiring-employment/#32f939466d8c. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.

This article, written by Jenna Goudreau, was incredibly helpful to understand how economically, Tupperware has changed the lives of women in developing countries such as Indonesia. The main point I took away from the article was how in Indonesia, a Tupperware seller makes 8 times as much income as a school teacher, which is the career most women pursue due to the stricter marriage laws. That doesn't include if the women move up in rank to a manager or distributor. I personally thought this was so powerful that I chose to use a quote from it on my board. This article also helped me understand the data of the number of women working for Tupperware and how many are buying the product, which I used to understand the economic aspect of Tupperware world-wide.

27 Kelly, Jon. "Did Tupperware parties change the lives of women?" BBC News, 10 May 2011, ​ ​ www.bbc.com/news/magazine-13331830. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.

I found this article particularly captivating because it talked about the opposing perspectives about Tupperware breaking barriers. Some saw it as an excuse that they said the parties were social gatherings and allowed women to see their friends to help them economically. They see it as commercialization of them, rather than a positive upbringing. This helped me understand part of the anti-Tupperware perspective and inspired me to reach out to Professor Susan Vincent of Canada's St Francis Xavier University again. I had been in contact with her before about her persevering domesticity Tupperware article, and I wanted to reach out to her again for the devil's advocate perspective. On the contrary, this article talked mostly about the perspective I see and how it was rather an extension of socialization that made it feel less of work and more of an escape from their domestic lives. I also used a quote from this article about Tupperware leaving a dent in the glass ceiling because I thought it would be eye-catching and most people know of the glass ceiling.

Litwicki, Ellen M. "Tupperware: The Promise of Plastic in 1950s America." Newsweek, vol. 34, ​ ​ no. 1, 2000, p. 247 ed., 2000, Journal of Social History sec., link-gale-com.ezproxy.ocls.info/apps/doc/A65576705/OVIC?u=ocls_main&sid=OVIC& xid=f48cec49. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.

I chose to read this book review about Tupperware: The Promise of Plastic in 1950s ​ America because I found it interesting how the author reflected on Clarke's theory of the ​ dynamic process between production and consumption that made Tupperware work. Specifically, I found it interesting how the author of this review analyzed what Clarke said about consumption and interpreted it as Earl Tupper seeing Tupperware's consumption by society as a way to inject traditional values into the home and reduce waste while Wise saw consumption as transformative and that it highlighted the good in life post-WWII. Clarke, and the author of the review, both agree that Tupperware's success happened because it eased tensions between the two groups. Overall, this review of Clarke's book helped me see a different aspect than what I took away from the book.

May, Elaine Tyler. "Tupperware!" PBS, WGBH Educational Foundation, 9 Feb. 2004, ​ ​ www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-may/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2019.

This article by University of Minnesota historian Elaine Tyler May was very useful because she talked about how women's place in the work field was changed because of WWll. For example, during WWll, women were given the opportunity to fill previously closed jobs, since most men had to leave to be deployed overseas. This all changed when returning veterans were given their jobs back after the war, forcing most women to resume their roles as strictly homemakers or to settle for part-time jobs. Also in the article, it mentioned how companies like Tupperware and Mary Kay allowed women to be successful in business and have a job while still keeping up with their household duties.

28 Meikle, Jeffrey. "Interview with Historian Jeffrey Meikle." PBS, WGBH Educational ​ ​ Foundation, 9 Feb. 2004, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-meikle/. Accessed 4 Jan. 2020. Interview.

I would say this article is different in how it helped me with my project because instead of covering the history of Tupperware, it covered how America's plastics industry was affected before and after WWII. Also, the article talked about how the plastics industry would produce plastic for two different uses, quality plastic for items in the military, and cheap brittle plastic for other things such as kitchen bowls and plates. When Tupperware came around, it appealed to housewives across America because of its durable shell and fun colors. Overall, this source showed me how Earl Tupper used his knowledge from working in the plastics industry and understanding how Americans had negative viewpoints towards plastic to create something that would be easier to sell and would last longer.

Osterweil, Neil. "Outline for a biography of Earl S. Tupper." 1987. Bob Kealing Tupperware Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, Box 3, Folder 1: Research Materials – Manuscripts, 1987, Undated. Manuscript.

While going through Smithsonian's virtual archives, one of the first things that caught my eye was Neil Osterweil's oral histories where he interviews various people in Tupperware history. While I was not able to access these oral histories and listen to them through SOVA or anywhere online, I was determined to find some sort of transcript that would tell me a little about the oral histories. I was able to talk to a historian at the University of Central Florida who was able to find two pages of the oral histories collected from Bob Kealing's research. This was helpful for my project because although short, I was still able to read another perspective and more information on my project. Specifically, Mr. Osterweil who talked about jubilees and how Brownie Wise adapted them from Stanley and how this expanded to worldwide eventually.

"Postwar Gender Roles and Women in American Politics." History, Art & Archives, United State ​ ​ House of Representatives, history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/Changing-Guard/ Identity/. Accessed 18 May 2020.

This was an article I used to read more about post-war stereotypes and expectations for women. As the average age for a woman to be married was 20 during the 1950s, women were giving up their freedoms at a very young age to stay home and maintain the domestic sphere. The era of the 1950s stressed the one-income lifestyle and domestic containment, pressuring most women to give up their aspirations in life to please their husbands. Only 38% of women out of high school went to college to further their education. There were numerous statistics in the article that proved the point that culturally, it was obscene for a woman to be working anywhere other than the home. This was partially why Tupperware parties were such a big hit with women when they were introduced. This article did not mention Tupperware, but it gave me the information about 1950s expectations on women for me to draw my own conclusions.

29

"Selling Tupperware." PBS, WGBH Educational Foundation, 9 Feb. 2004, ​ ​ www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/selling-business/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2020.

I used this source to understand how Tupperware parties evolved and changed over time. At the beginning of the article, it mentions how the start of Tupperware was women talking to their close friends and neighbors to set up parties and find hostesses around their neighborhoods. One of the points that the article made was how selling Tupperware was a flexible job because it was working at home, so it appealed to the husbands better knowing that their wives could stay home and still earn some extra money for the family. Some even got to the point where their wives were rising in the business ranks, becoming distributors who were allowed to control one selling area of the country. This could only happen if the husband agreed to quit his job and join his wife full time in the Tupperware business. So through Tupperware, the country started undergoing a change where, in some households, women started making more money than their husbands, switching the social order.

"Tupperware Home Parties." PBS, WGBH Educational Foundation, 9 Feb. 2004, ​ ​ www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-parties/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2020.

Another article about THP's beginnings talked about the staff implementing the model of Stanley Home Products to create a monthly circular for Tupperware sellers, Tupperware Sparks. ​ ​ Another thing I found useful about this article was that it talked for three paragraphs about the start of jubilees and how the first jubilee in 1954, "The Gold Rush" went. It was helpful to see how the THP staff's whole motto was about encouraging the dealers of Tupperware.

Vincent, Susan. "Preserving Domesticity: Reading Tupperware in Women's Changing Domestic, Social and Economic Roles." PDF file, May 2003.

This research article by Susan Vincent was very interesting for me to read. She offered the input of her older friends who saw Tupperware as being in decline, and the gender separation as something of the past because it encourages women to stay in the domestic sphere, while also offering the input of younger women who see Tupperware completely differently. On top of that, I learned from the article that in 1950, only 30.4% of women over 18 were holding jobs, fifty years later in 2002, it was over 60%. I also learned from this article how the author thinks Tupperware gave the domestic sphere respect and also allowed women to have a way out when homemaking became overwhelming.

Warner, Judith, et al. "The Women's Leadership Gap." Center for American Progress, 20 Nov. ​ ​ 2018, www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2018/11/20/461273/womens-leadershi p-gap-2/. Accessed 17 May 2020.

This was probably the most helpful secondary source I utilized to learn more about women in executive positions at major companies. While I did not use data from this website on

30 my board because it was from 2018 and mostly about Fortune 100 companies when covering business data, it was still incredibly helpful. This article helped me compare data from Tupperware to other companies from around the U.S. For example, in Fortune 100 companies, only 7% of top executives are women, while Tupperware currently has an executive board with 50% women. Overall, this article furthered my knowledge of women working at the executive level and gave me data to see how Tupperware, yet again, is surpassing companies and breaking barriers.

Documentaries

Tupperware: A blast from the past. CBS News, 24 Nov. 2019. ​

This segment on CBS News was a very helpful secondary source for me to start with. It gave me great information about the beginning of Tupperware and its founder Earl Tupper, as well as how Brownie Wise got involved with the company. I also used this source because it talked about how Brownie Wise influenced the new generation of women workers by showing them that they could provide for their families by hosting home parties.

Tupperware! Building an empire, bowl by bowl. 2004. Produced by Mark Samels, PBS American ​ Experience, 2004.

This film was an incredible source of information for my project. For starters, it gave me ideas for how to phrase things so the people viewing my project understand the storyline of Tupperware better. Along with that, I got a variety of quotes from this film from people such as Sylvia Boyd and Anna Tate, who were both distributors of Tupperware, and from Brownie's cousin, Montie Thayer. Altogether, I think that this film provided me with avenues to research good information to use on my board.

31 Exhibit Entry Information

Title: Brownie Seals the Deal: Tupperware Parties Break Economic Barriers for Women

Name(s): Allison Tate

Division: (Junior/Senior) Senior

Individual/

Group: Individual

Number of Student Composed Words on Exhibit: 499

(Optional) Link to Any Audio or Video on Exhibit (no more [Type Here] than 3 minutes total): Picture of Entire Exhibit Thesis/Historical Argument

During the 1950s, husbands expected their wives to stay at home. Brownie Wise, a divorced mother from Michigan, created a way for women to work by hosting Tupperware home parties. Women with little formal education and no business experience earned money by taking advantage of their networks of friends and family. These parties broke economic, social, and domestic barriers while still adhering to society’s rules of preserving domesticity. Picture of Left Panel of Exhibit

Photo Credits listed from top to bottom “Homemaker utilizes Tupperware in her kitchen.” Courtesy of Earl S. Tupper Papers at SOVA.

“To demonstrate Tupperware's patented seal, Brownie Wise tosses a bowl filled with water at a party.” Courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine.

“Tupper and Wise smile for a photo while holding polyethylene.” Courtesy of Earl S. Tupper Papers at SOVA.

“Tupperware...what dreams are made of!” Courtesy of Earl S. Tupper Papers at SOVA.

“Four women at a Tupperware rally put up posters supporting Tupperware parties.” Courtesy of Brownie Wise Papers at SOVA.

“Brownie Wise gives a Tupperware party demonstration at a rally for employees.” Courtesy of Brownie Wise Papers at SOVA.

“Women work at a Tupperware plant assembling items.” Courtesy of Earl S. Tupper Papers at SOVA. Picture & Text on Left Panel of Exhibit 1 of 3

"The Tupperware party was THE social function, it was the way to get away from the kids for a few hours during the week." - Sylvia Boyd, Distributor Go Home! After World War II, women left factory jobs, making room for returning soldiers; however, many never stopped wanting to earn a living. 1947: Brownie Wise began demonstrating Stanley Home Products. Earl Tupper released his first collection of Tupperware food storage containers. At the time, plastic was perceived as cheap and brittle. Tupper's pliable product had a revolutionary modern seal. Unfortunately, department store customers didn’t understand how it worked. After being introduced to Tupperware, Wise thought money could be made by holding parties centered around games and fun, with demonstrations showing women how to “burp” the infamous seal.

August 1948: Wise left to sell Tupperware after Frank Stanley Beveridge stated, “Don’t waste your time. Management is no place for a woman”. “I remember how mad she was when she came back from Stanley Home Parties’ convention in Massachusetts, she told me, ‘I’ll show him.’” -Jerry Wise, son of Brownie Wise

“When Tupperware first started, they had to entertain the women. People didn’t have televisions, women didn’t work in the outside world. Unless they were a teacher or secretary or nurse, most women were home. When they were invited to a Tupperware party, they put on their nylons, they put on their high heels, and sometimes they even wore their hats to parties. I mean, it was a big affair.” -- Sandy Shineldecker, Interview 29 Feb. 2020 Picture & Text on Left Panel of Exhibit 2 of 3

Building Tupper’s Empire 1949:“Within her first year of selling independently [in Michigan], her team garnered more than $85,000 in Tupperware orders (nearly $850,000 today), outselling department stores across the country” (McDonough). 1950: Impressed with Wise’s success, executives promised a Florida distributorship.

April 3, 1951: Tupper formally introduced Tupperware Home Parties (THP), previously known as “Patio Parties” by Brownie Wise, and promoted her to VP and general manager, showing women could become successful executives, contrary to Beveridge’s opinion. Pulling his products from stores, Tupper put his trust into the new network of home distributors.

“Wise took what she had learned in Stanley and improved on it tenfold. She had an intuitive grasp of selling, of consumer culture, and the fantasies shared by many Americans in the 1950s.” -- PBS, “Brownie Wise” Picture & Text on Left Panel of Exhibit 3 of 3

Tupperizing America 1953: Relying exclusively on home parties, "Sales skyrocketed, multiplying 25 times within three years...The company's rapid success was attributed to its recruitment of almost 9,000 independent consultants… most of them women” (Long).

“The parties were a liberating force for women by providing them a way to make money and stand on their own, out of their husband’s shadows. In that way Tupperware parties were revolutionary for the time.” -Bob Kealing Interview, 2 Mar. 2020

THP also broke racial barriers, as evidenced by the recognition bestowed upon an African-American manager for outstanding sales.

“Brownie Wise and her connection to Tupperware opened a lot of doors to women who would have never made it, but were willing and eager to take that chance and open that door by self-motivation.” -- Sandy Shineldecker, Interview 29 Feb. 2020

“[Tupperware] represents a breakthrough by millions of ordinary women into the world of business which left a small but highly significant dent in the glass ceiling.” -- Jon Kelly, “Did Tupperware parties change the lives of women?” from BBC News Magazine Picture of Center Panel of Exhibit

Print Image of Brownie Wise, given to me by Sandy Shineldecker during our interview.

Photo credits listed top to bottom “A woman holds up a fur coat she dug up at the 1954 jubilee.” Courtesy of Brownie Wise Papers at SOVA.

“Women of Tupperware sit through a Jubilee conference on selling skills and strategies.” Courtesy of Brownie Wise Papers at SOVA.

“Brownie Wise was the cover story of Business Week.” Courtesy of Bob Kealing, Life of the Party.

“Gifts included radios, vacuums, video cameras and typewriters, Boyd Collection.” Courtesy of PBS Tupperware!.

“A Tupperware lady and her family smile at a circus-themed jubilee.” Courtesy of Earl S. Tupper Papers at SOVA. Picture & Text on Center Panel 1 of 3

"If we build the people, they'll build the business." -- Brownie Wise

This print of Brownie Wise was given to me during my interview with Sandy Shineldecker, a Tupperware consultant who has worked for them for 44 years. She was given this print after out-selling everyone else in a week. I purposefully placed it above Brownie Wise’s most famous quote to give it more of an impact. Picture & Text on Center Panel 2 of 3

Record-Breaking Growth 1954: 345 dealers became managers, creating many new sales branches, and 600 women headed to Kissimmee, Florida for the first Tupperware Jubilee, “a four-day sales meeting that mixed learning with cornball entertainment, amazing prizes and elaborate participatory costumed theme nights” (PBS). Graduation ceremonies held at the end were particularly empowering.

"It must seem kind of corny, but I can tell you we were very proud to walk across that stage." -- Anna Tate, Distributor

“It’s often been said that what really drives sales people to succeed beyond money, is recognition. In the 1950s, women were hardly recognized publicly for anything. You didn’t win prizes for mopping the floor or keeping a clean house. The desire to win recognition drove women to work harder and sell more. Brownie tapped into this desire to succeed and the jubilees were the ultimate payoff.” -- Bob Kealing Interview, 2 Mar. 2020

April 17, 1954: Tupperware hit 9,000 dealers. Wise became the first woman featured on the cover of BusinessWeek.

“When you're from Walkerville [pop. 258] and you're told you're nothing, going to the meeting [Jubilee] with the rest of the people and finding out you're number 25 out of the 3,000 consultants there for sales, makes you feel like you really are something.” -- Sandy Shineldecker, Interview 29 Feb. 2020 Picture of Right Panel of Exhibit

Photo credits listed from top to bottom “Tupperware ad, 1960s (NMAH).” Courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine.

“Tupperware party with cooky hats and games.” Courtesy of Dusty Old Thing.

“Tupperware Recruitment Ad.” Courtesy of Dusty Old Thing.

“Tupper hands over the keys to Wise of her own Cadillac, earned from her hard work at THP.” Courtesy of Earl S. Tupper Papers at SOVA.

“Tupperware home party in Sarasota, Florida.” Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

“Tupperware Executives Tour Plant.” Courtesy of Brownie Wise Papers at SOVA.

“Tupperware-Banner-photo - Women Executive Leadership.” Courtesy of Women Executive Leadership.

“Tricia Stitzel, the first female CEO of Tupperware, has resigned, the company announced Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019.” Courtesy of Orlando Sentinel.

“Tupperware Brands expansion around the world.” Courtesy of World Wide Presence, Tupperware Brands.

“Indonesian women at a Tupperware products party last year in Jakarta. Indonesia has become Tupperware’s biggest market, passing Germany.” Courtesy of Lam Yik Fei for the New York Times.

“5 Tupperware Employees in Indonesia hold up some of the products in their headquarters.” Courtesy of Palopopos.co.id. Picture & Text on Right Panel 1 of 3

Domestic Effect "Tupperware has been used by women as a savior, solving their economic problems while giving the domestic sphere value and respect, I consider it more of a reverse canary in the mineshaft, strengthening when women’s dual work/home pressures become overwhelming." -- Susan Vincent, Preserving Domesticity: Reading Tupperware in Women's Changing Domestic, Social and Economic Roles

Brownie Wise not only planned parties to appeal to women--giving them a break from cleaning and kids--but also to their husbands by not rocking the domestic boat.

“Tupperware gave my kids the chance to see their mom do something. My kids now have good jobs and my daughter has advanced herself to great lengths. All of that wouldn't have happened if they didn't see their mom get out of the kitchen and go do something and have a work ethic.” -- Sandy Shineldecker, Interview 29 Feb. 2020

“You’ve got to go whole-hog to reach happiness. Only with participation will you get that anticipation of success, that feeling of confidence and the will to make your wishes come true.” -- Brownie Wise to readers, Best Wishes

“By my seventh month of working, I got a new car. And every 2 years after that for the next 20 years, I got a new car. At the time, this changed everything for my family because we wouldn't have ever been able to afford one as nice as what Tupperware got me.” -- Sandy Shineldecker, Interview 29 Feb. 2020 Picture & Text on Right Panel 2 of 3

Who’s In Charge? Mid-January 1958: Tupper and Wise discussed Tupperware’s future. “The company had hit $10 million in sales (more than $80 million in 2016 dollars). Tupperware and Wise were quickly becoming household names” (McDonough).

Despite record sales and THP hitting 20,000 dealers, Wise was fired and evicted from Tupperware property. Wise sued, settling for $30,000. This was a setback to the women who watched her become as successful as men.

"I expected to see at least pictures of her around, but no one seemed to know who Brownie was or the fact that she might have been important, they appeared to have erased her right out of their files." -- Ann Fortier Novak, Secretary for Brownie Wise and Earl Tupper

Wise’s Legacy Wise blazed a trail for those who followed, multiplying her impact. “Tupperware Home Parties became the gold standard for home party selling. Many other large companies, like Mary Kay Cosmetics, have copied the formula Wise perfected, extending her legacy in American business” (PBS).

“It has been estimated that Brownie Wise has helped more women to financial success than any other single living person. Moreover, she has proved that no matter what problems face a woman, there is a way to solve them through courage and humor.” -- Napoleon Hill, Houston Post, “Science of Success” column, 1956, from Life of the Party by Bob Kealing

“According to [2019] data from Fortune, women held 15.7% of board seats at Fortune 500 companies 15 years ago. Today, women hold 25.5% of those seats.” -- Courtney Connley, CNBC

In contrast, “Tupperware Brands, a historical leader for gender equality, continues to solidify its commitment to equal representation at all levels of the Company. Today, women represent 50% of the Board of Directors, and globally 44% of the senior management positions are held by women.” -- “Patricia Stitzel Assumes the Role as President and CEO of Tupperware Brands and is elected to the Board of Directors”, TupperwareBrands. Picture & Text on Right Panel 3 of 3

Empowering Women Worldwide September 28, 1958: New owner, Rexall Drugs, expanded internationally, beginning with Canada, making Tupperware the most successful home selling business of its time.

“In 1963, the company had a presence in six European countries and then launched in Japan and Australia. Tupperware also had sales offices in Africa and Latin America before 1970. Since then Tupperware Brands has expanded to almost 100 countries around the world.” -World Wide Presence, Tupperware Brands

1970-Present: Tupperware grew exponentially, further empowering women. “By [2010], Tupperware had an estimated 2.4 million part-time sales representatives worldwide...In India alone, Tupperware employed 70,000 sales representatives" (Long).

“Today, there are more than 2.9 million dealers internationally. “99% of the [current] sales force reported their financial status improved as a result of joining Tupperware.” -- Yolanda Londono, Vice President of Tupperware 2014

“In Indonesia, for example, which has the fourth largest population in the world and the largest Muslim population, the average teacher makes $3,000 per year. The average Tupperware sales manager there makes $25,000 a year. The average distributor can make $50,000 to $100,000 a year. This is not pin money. It’s a serious business.” -- Jenna Goudreau, “The Tupperware Effect, Empowering Women Around The World” from Forbes Magazine Conclusion “Indonesian government and religious groups have for decades pushed traditional values Tupperware has changed dramatically since the 1950s. Each change in which the primary roles of women are as wives and mothers...Tupperware encouraged has further dismantled socio-economic barriers: employing women in women to move past any insecurities about taking on a new role.” developing countries, providing free training and tools, and enabling -- Joe Cochrane, “Tupperware’s Sweet Spot Shifts to Indonesia” from The New York Times their financial independence. From the era of Brownie Wise to today,

Tupperware continues breaking barriers by encouraging, educating, and building confidence in women. Picture & Explanation of Interactive Elements on Your Exhibit (You can include images and descriptions of parts of your exhibit that invite the viewer to engage with the exhibit beyond reading the text or looking at an image. Delete this slide if you don’t have interactive elements on your exhibit.)

Below, I have an advertisement for a new Tupperware cereal bowl set that would have been handed out at the end of a party and the seller’s final delivery form. I placed these in a magnet attached to the refrigerator to serve as a reminder that there was an upcoming Tupperware party because of the seller’s card.

Above, I have 1971 and 1972 Tupperware catalogs. Both of Above, I have three original Tupperware them were given to me by a Tupperware consultant in London, bowls from the Millionaire line (the first Ontario who sold Tupperware in the 1960s/1970s. Even released), a 1956 Tupperware Party Games though my exhibit is based on a 1950s kitchen with a pamphlet, a 1956 THP Order Form that Tupperware party going on, I wanted to include these 1970s women would fill out at the end of the party, pamphlets for viewers to dive into Tupperware as a whole and and a 1957 THP magazine that Brownie see how their marketing changed over the years, including Wise herself helped co-write. their party handouts.