The Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council was formed in 1988 by both local historians and business persons, for the purpose of preserving the historical contributions that women and women's organizations have made to the Grand Rapids area. Prominent among the founding members is Mary Elizabeth Frey McKay, local business woman and daughter of Edward Frey, founder of the Frey Foundation. The Council sponsors annual meetings and lectures on local women's history, including the 1991 Legacy Meeting, and promotes nominees for the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame located in Lansing.

Two committees are important within the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council. The research committee is responsible for the creation of a bibliography on prominent Grand Rapids area women. The oral history committee, originally headed by Jane Idema in 1989, is responsible for conducting oral histories in the form of audio taped interviews and providing written transcripts of these interviews. In 1992, Carol Grin took over as head of the oral history committee followed by Barbara Amberg in 1993. In an effort to further promote the collecting of women's oral histories, the council has held two separate workshops on the methods and procedures of conducting and preserving interviews.