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Montana Era Ratification Council / Montana Equal Rights Council records, 1972-1987

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana ERA Ratification Council
Title
Montana Era Ratification Council / Montana Equal Rights Council records
Dates
1972-1987 (inclusive)
Quantity
l linear foot of shelf space.
Collection Number
MC 185
Summary
The Montana ERA Ratification Council was formed to push for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution. Records (1972-1987) include general correspondence; financial records; minutes; press releases; organizational materials; reports; speeches; and subject files, including materials on local Equal Rights Councils, legislative action, Women's Equality Day, Women's History Week, workshops; miscellany; and clippings.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The Montana ERA Ratification Council was organized in 1973 to campaign for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) by the Montana legislature. The Council, a single-issue grass roots organization with headquarters in Helena, brought together into a working coalition representatives from some thirty-five Montana organizations supporting the ERA, including the American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters, Federation of Business and Professional Women, AFL-CIO, Women's Law Association, American Federation of Teachers, Montana Education Association, Montana Democratic Party, Montana Nurses Association, National Organization of Women (NOW), Common Cause, State Bar, Soroptimist International Association, Press Women, and Church Women United.

Initially, Common Cause and Helena lawyer Jim Zion provided leadership for the Council by drafting bylaws, forming a board of directors, and setting membership criteria and dues for the first lobbying effort in the 1973 Legislative Assembly. Sue Bartlett, Natalie Cannon, Robin Hatch, Frances Elge, Senator Pat Regan, and Mary Van Buskirk volunteered as board members. Regional area coordinators were appointed by the board and a mailing list of approximately 2500 was developed. Robin Hatch and Natalie Cannon served as lobbyists. Belle Winestine was named honorary chair and Laura Nicholson served as secretary-treasurer.

The Montana House of Representatives passed the ERA in 1973 by a vote of 72-23. The resolution failed to get out of the Montana Senate that year, but was ratified the following year by a vote of 29-21. Montana became the 32nd state to ratify the ERA. A total of thirty-eight states was needed to add the amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The original deadline for adoption was March 22, 1979, but the amendment needed additional states to ratify. A controversy arose nationally and in Montana over the proposed extension of the seven-year ratification period. Opponents of ERA hoped to end the ratification campaign by defeating the extension. In 1978 the U.S. Congress voted to extend the deadline to June 30, 1982.

After the 1974 Montana ratification, the Montana ERA Ratification Council changed its name to the Montana Equal Rights Council. Four distinct periods characterized the work of the Montana Equal Rights Council: extension of the seven-year ratification period (efforts of the Council were directed nationally and in Montana); protecting Montana's ratification; blocking rescission efforts which extended throughout the eight year period; and preparation of strategies to reintroduce the ERA following the failure of ratification in the next Congress. Opponents of the ERA attempted to rescind Montana's ratification in every legislative session between 1974 and June 30, 1982. National "Stop-ERA," led by Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, campaigned vigorously through Montana branches of organizations opposing the ERA including the Daughters of the American Revolution, Eagle Forum, John Birch Society, Knights of Columbus, Liberty Lobby, National Council of Catholic Women, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Rabbinical Alliance of America. A very strong and well organized opponent in Montana was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The rescission movement was stopped in 1975 by the Montana Senate as recommended by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Rescission was again stopped in the Senate in 1977 on a tie vote. In 1979 the Senate adopted a rescission resolution, but it was killed when the House Judiciary Committee voted a "do not" pass recommendation on the resolution and opponents could not muster necessary votes to Place it before the entire House. The Council employed Dru Styskel as its lobbyist during the 1979 session. In 1981 legislative leaders believed that the Amendment would fail on the national level and turned their attention to other issues.

The Montana Equal Rights Council phased out its work with a final public program in Helena directed by co-presidents Doris and Linda Brander with a promise to have the ERA arise "from the ashes like the Phoenix bird." As directed by the bylaws, remaining funds left in the treasury were distributed to organizations with interests in women's issues including the Women's Lobby Fund, National Organization for Women, and the League of Women Voters of Montana.

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Content Description

This collection contains the records of the Montana ERA Ratification Council and the Montana Equal Rights Council. Included are general correspondence (1973-1987); financial records (1973-1980); minutes (1973-1982); news releases; organizational materials (1974-1979); printed materials; reports; speeches; and subject files including materials on area Equal Rights Councils, legislative action, Women's Equality Day, Women's History Week, workshops, etc.; miscellany (1973-1982); and clippings (1972-1986). Photographs, printed materials, and artifacts have been separated to the Photo Archives, Library, and Museum respectively.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

by series

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

  • General correspondence

  • Financial records

    • Description: Account books
      Dates: 1973-1987
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
      Location: Financial records
    • Description: Treasurer's reports; budget
      Dates: 1974-1980
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
      Location: Financial records

  • Minutes

    • Description: Minutes and agendas for Montana ERA Ratification Council and Montana Equal Rights Council meetings; Montana Equal Rights Council Convention
      Dates: 1973, 1979, 1982
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
      Location: Minutes

  • News releases

    • Description: News releases
      Dates: 1974, n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
      Location: News releases

  • Organization

    • Description: Bylaws; proposed rules and regulations
      Dates: 1979, n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
      Location: Organization
    • Description: Lists of members and area coordinators; duties of treasure; phone tree and letter policies; fundraising; strategy; lists of promotional materials; etc.
      Dates: 1974-1979; n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
      Location: Organization

  • Photographs

    • Description: List of photographs separated to the Photo Archives
      Dates:
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
      Location: Photographs

  • Printed material

    • Description: Network (newsletter of the Montana Equal Rights Council)
      Dates: 1977-1979
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
      Location: Printed material
    • Description: Informational brochure of Montana ERA Ratification Council and Montana Equal Rights Council
      Dates: n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12
      Location: Printed material
    • Description: Montana Equal Rights Ratification Council Speakers Handbooks
      Dates: 1973, 1978
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 13
      Location: Printed material
    • Description: Duties of the Local ERA Coordinators
      Dates: 1976
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 14
      Location: Printed material
    • Description: List of printed materials separated to the Library
      Dates:
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 15
      Location: Printed material

  • Reports

    • Description: Montana ERA Ratification Council progress report
      Dates: 1973
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 16
      Location: Reports

  • Speeches

    • Description: Re ERA, women's rights, etc. (Don Ostrem; unidentified)
      Dates: n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1
      Location: Speeches

  • Subject files

    • Description: Area Equal Rights Councils (Deer Lodge Valley / Powell County; Great Falls; Missoula; Yellowstone County)
      Dates: 1974-1982
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 2
      Location: Subject files
    • Description: Helena Equal Rights Council
      Dates: 1978, n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 3
      Location: Subject files
    • Description: Helena Women's Political Caucus
      Dates: 1974-1975; n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 4
      Location: Subject files
    • Description: Legislative action
      Dates: 1973-1982
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5
      Location: Subject files
    • Description: Montana Women's Bureau
      Dates: n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 6
      Location: Subject files
    • Description: Senate Joint Resolution 12 (to rescind Montana ratification of ERA)
      Dates: 1979
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 7
      Location: Subject files
    • Description: Women's Equality Day; Belle Winestine's Memorial Equality Day, August 26, 1985
      Dates: 1978-1985
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 8
      Location: Subject files
    • Description: Women's History Week
      Dates: 1982-1983, 1986
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 9
      Location: Subject files
    • Description: Workshops; "Failure is Impossible" celebration
      Dates: 1973-1982, n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 10
      Location: Subject files

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Datebook kept by Margaret S. Davis of ERA events
      Dates: 1973
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 11
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Information sheets on ERA in Montana, women's issues, etc.
      Dates: 1973-1975, n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 12
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Letterhead, membership cards, etc.
      Dates: n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 13
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: List of artifacts separated to the Museum
      Dates:
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 14
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: List of organizations supportng ERA
      Dates: n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 15
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Mailing lists
      Dates: 1982, n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 16
      Location: Miscellany

  • Clippings

    • Description: re ERA
      Dates: 1972-1986
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 17
      Location: Clippings

Finding aid prepared by Laura Nicholson, 1988.
2005

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