Writings, speeches, photographs, promotional materials, and artifacts documenting the career of Ora Snyder (1876-1948), a Chicago candy maker founder of Mrs. Snyder’s Candies in 1909. Includes a number of Snyder’s writings, speeches, and published articles about being a woman business owner and observations about the candy business. Photographs show Ora throughout her life, business activities, and Mrs. Snyder’s Candies storefronts and interiors. Ephemera and photographs document the Mrs. Snyder’s Candies concession shop at the Century of Progress International Exposition in 1933-1934, featuring a fully operating candy kitchen with air conditioning.

The collection also includes materials from Snyder’s leadership in the Associated Retail Confectioners of the United States and Business and Professional Women’s Club. Correspondence includes professional and fan letters, a few family letters, and one letter from Warren G. Harding. An oversize scrapbook contains newspaper clippings, photographs, and some letters throughout Snyder’s career and was likely compiled by Hortense Starek. Scrapbook pages are very fragile and have been individually foldered. Collection also contains 9 empty Mrs. Snyder’s Candies branded boxes for various products, one containing 8 branded drinking straws.