Washington State Conference for Women, 1977

Held in Ellensburg, Washington, in July 1977, the Washington State Conference for Women brought to the fore debates over a proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the United States. The conference had been convened as part of International Women's Year, an initiative launched by the United Nations General Assembly in 1975. Conservative and liberal feminists strongly disagreed in their views about the ERA. Conservatives ultimately defeated a resolution supporting the amendment; but their opponents still elected pro-ERA delegates to represent Washington state at a national women’s meeting in Houston, Texas. Conservatives responded by organizing a campaign that led to the dismantling of the Washington State Women’s Council one year later.

This collection features documents and programs used at the conference in 1977.

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