Document 34: Jeannette Marks to Caroline Babcock, 7 April 1949, Florence Ledyard Cross Kitchelt Papers, 1885-1961, A-61, Box 4, Folder 77, Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

Documents selected and interpreted by Danelle Moon and Kathryn Kish Sklar
Document 34: Jeannette Marks to Caroline Babcock, 7 April 1949, Florence Ledyard Cross Kitchelt Papers, 1885-1961, A-61, Box 4, Folder 77, Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. Included in How Did Florence Kitchelt Bring Together Social Feminists and Equal Rights Feminists to Reconfigure the Campaign for the ERA in the 1940s and 50s?, Documents selected and interpreted by Danelle Moon and Kathryn Kish Sklar. (Alexandria, VA: Alexander Street Press, 2010).
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Introduction

   Jeannette Marks and Florence Kitchelt both worked in this period to promote interest in the Equal Rights Amendment in New York State. This letter[34] clearly follows up on other communications and seems to be recruiting Caroline Babcock to join in founding a New York State organization to promote the ERA. As the Executive Secretary of the NWP from 1938 to 1946, Babcock was a leader in the NWP dissident group in 1947 that left the organization.[35] Many of these activists subsequently continued to work for the ERA with Kitchelt.

[NA]

April 7, 1949

Dear Caroline;

    You have urged me on. Now see from the enclosed what you've done!

    Of course, you are a New Yorker and the distinction of your family as well as of their daughter lies in New York State. We are counting upon your being one of our founding members..... There are no financial obligations, -- perhaps a few dollars at the first meeting so that whoever becomes Secretary-Treasurer will be able to invest in a proper letter-head for us all..... At the time we meet in the most convenient and least expensive place for us all, will be time enough to decide upon a sub-title for our committee. Perhaps something like this

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF COMMITTEES FOR EQUAL RIGHTS

or

UNITED STATES COMMITTEES FOR EQUAL RIGHTS

and after that a sub-caption titled after the parent

CONNECTICUT COMMITTEE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS

    In New York State this would, of course, become

NEW YORK STATE COMMITTEE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS

    My goodness, I am getting dizzy with all these captions! Just something to think about now and to decide upon when we come together.

    None of these ideas would in the least interfere later -- if you should consider that advisable -- with getting some able, loyal women like Anna Hogan to go ahead organizing a small trustworthy group in New Jersey.

    Affectionate greetings to you, dear Caroline, and the hope that spring is coming for you without too much mockery in this dreadful world of ours today! Far better for us all to be thinking of this vital way in which we can make that world better, -- AND WE CAN.



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