How Did Iowa Coalitions Campaign for the
Equal Rights Amendment in 1980 and 1992?

Related Links

National Organization for Women (NOW)

Since 1967 the National Organization for Women has been a leading proponent of the Equal Rights Amendment. This website provides a history of the ERA from 1923 to the present, and also contains a feminist manifesto in support of an amendment to the United States constitution for equal rights.

Iowa NOW

The website for the Iowa branch of the National Organization for Women encourages members to participate actively in national and state politics.

National Council of Women's Organizations

This site is maintained by the Equal Rights Amendment task force of the National Council of Women's Organizations. They provide the text of the original ERA written by Alice Paul in 1923 as well as a historical timeline of the events surrounding feminist campaigns for the amendment. The website also offers a current list of supporters of the Equal Rights campaigns, including the League of Women Voters who previously opposed the amendment (see the project, Why Did the Iowa League of Women Voters' Oppose the Equal Rights Amendment during the 1940s and 1950s? on this site).

Iowa Women's Archives

The University of Iowa libraries provide an online list of the records of the Iowa ERA Coalition from 1972 to 1980. The collection includes documents from this project as well as photographs, audiotapes and a brief historical sketch of the organization.

BPW/Iowa Foundation

The Business and Professional Women of Iowa is a branch of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Club, dedicated to improving the standards for women in business. The BPW/Iowa Foundation offers a legislative platform in support of the ERA, Civil Rights and economic equity for women.

Iowa Catholic Conference

This document entitled, "Reflections on Equal Rights Amendment, Iowa Catholic Conference, September 1992," supports equal rights for women but raises concerns for pro-life voters. In the document the Iowa Catholic Conference urges its members to be wary of the language of the amendment while maintaining their support of equal rights for women.

Feminist Majority Archives

This site offers a timeline of actions supported by the Feminist Majority including the failed 1992 campaign for the Iowa ERA.

Eagle Forum

A leading opponent of the ERA, the Eagle Forum maintains a "pro-family" agenda that includes opposition to abortion and multiculturalism and a call for reduced immigration. Phyllis Schlafley, founder of the Eagle Forum, offers an archive of her articles on the website. Included among these is an article entitled "Beating the Bra-Burners" about the defeat of the ERA in 1982 from a 1997 issue of George magazine.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

This site offers an article recounting the reemergence of the Christian Coalition after Pat Robertson's failed 1988 presidential bid and the fall of television evangelists and Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority. Also included is the Christian Coalition's 1992 campaign against the Iowa ERA.


 
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