It may seem quaint now, but it was common in the 40s and 50s for companies to require their women employees to resign when they marry.

The memo below, dated January 10, 1951, put a “temporary modification” on IBM’s personnel policy that effectively allowed its female employees to remain working after marriage and allowed the company to hire married women in the first place.

From the memo:

Effective immediately and until further notice:

1. A female employee will not be required to resign from the company upon marriage

2. The Company will consider for employment a married female.

Source:Sociological Images via The Atlantic