Historical Timeline
1970-1979

Decade overview

Corporate milestones

In 1970, women constitute 38% of the labor force and 97.8% of the secretarial force.

In 1972, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act allows preferential hiring and promotion of women and minorities (affirmative action).

In 1973, Arab oil-producing nations move to embargo shipments to the United States, Western Europe, and Japan. The cutoff precipitates an energy crisis in the industrialized world.

In 1974, AT&T, the largest private employer in the United States, bans discrimination against homosexuals.

John T. Molloy's Dress for Success is published in 1975. This is followed by Women's Dress for Success in 1977.

In 1978, Congress passes the Humphrey-Hawkins "full-employment" bill, setting the goal of reducing unemployment to 4% nationally by 1983.

1970
Floppy disk introduced for computer data storage
1971
Dot matrix printers introduced by U.S. Centron
 
First pocket calculator, the Pocketronic, introduced by Texas Instruments. It weighs about 2.5 pounds, costs $150, and can add, subtract, multiply, and divide
1972
Lexitron introduces first word-processing system
1973
Federal Express Company begins operations
1974
Post-It Notes developed by 3-M engineer Art Fry in response to a need for bookmarks that do not slip out but are easily removable
 
First international fax standard set by United Nations, allowing facsimile messages to be transmitted at a rate of one page every six minutes
1975
"Electric Pencil," the first word-processing software package for personal computer, introduced
 
IBM introduces laser printer
 
Concept for "Workbench" modular office system designed by Bruce Burdick at Herman Miller to meet the needs of "Knowledge Workers"
1976
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs form Apple Computer Company on April Fool's Day
1977
Paul Allen and William Gates found Microsoft
1979
First commercial network of cellular telephones set up in Tokyo, Japan
 
First spreadsheet software program, "Visicalc," introduced for the Apple II computer

1900-1909 || 1910-1919 || 1920-1929 || 1930-1939 || 1940-1949
1950-1959 || 1960-1969 || 1970-1979 || 1980-1989 || 1990-

This material was generously provided by the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.

Introduction

Birth and Growth of the American Office

Office Equipment

Office Organization

Global Office

Conclusion

Historical Timeline

Lesson Plans

Resources

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