IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES
IOWA CITY, IOWA
IOWA WOMEN AGAINST THE EQUAL
RIGHTS
AMENDMENT
Records, 1972-1980
2 linear inches and
audiovisual material
|
ACQUISITION: |
The records
(donor no. 19) were donated by Donna
L. Leporte in 1981. |
|
ACCESS: |
The records
are open for research. |
|
AUDIOVISUAL: |
One audiocassette shelved in the audiocassette
collection (AC222). |
|
PROCESSED BY: |
Bridget M. Butler, 1992,
and Special Collections staff. |
History
Iowa Women Against the Equal Rights Amendment was formed
in 1972 as a grassroots organization opposed to Iowa's ratification of the
proposed equal rights amendment (E.R.A.) to the United States
Constitution. The group distributed
literature, mounted letter-writing campaigns, and otherwise advocated rescission
by Iowa of its ratification of the amendment.
In 1975 a resolution to rescind was filed by State Senator Eugene
Hill. The Iowa Senate defeated Senator
Hill's resolution by a simple majority.
Iowa Women Against the ERA also worked to defeat
passage of a state ERA. In 1978 and
1979, the Iowa State Legislature passed a state equal rights amendment. This
fulfilled the requirement of Iowa state law that a constitutional amendment
must first be passed by two consecutive legislative sessions, after which it
may be submitted for popular vote. Iowa Women Against the Equal Rights
Amendment successfully mobilized opposition to the state amendment, which only
received approximately 44 percent of the popular vote.
Scope and
Content Note
The records of Iowa Women Against
the Equal Rights Amendment measure 2 linear inches and date from 1972 to
1980. The records consist primarily of
flyers, pamphlets, and leaflets explaining why the amendment should be opposed. Much of the material either came directly
from or was copied from material distributed by national groups opposed to the
equal rights amendment, such as Eagle Forum and Concerned Women for
America.
Two 1980 newspaper clippings from
the Des Moines Register are also
included: an anti-E.R.A. advertisement and an article featuring a debate on the
E.R.A. between Donna Leporte, president of Iowa Women Against the Equal Rights
Amendment, and Peg Anderson, who chaired the Iowa E.R.A. Coalition.
Audiovisual material consists of a
cassette tape entitled "The Fraud Called ERA" and two 35 mm
filmstrips, one dealing with federal, one with state implications of the
amendment. A few anti-E.R.A. bumper
stickers and buttons are also contained in the collection.
Box no. Description
Box 1
Pamphlets and
flyers
General, 1972-1980
"Abortion and The Equal
Rights Amendment," Eileen Vogel, 1978
"Christian Be
Watchful," Vicki Frierson and Ruthanne Garlock, 1980
"The Effect of Equal
Rights Amendments in State Constitutions," Phyllis Schlafly, 1979
"A Magic Window:
information compiled on the question 'what has happened in other states?'
concerning the ERA," Eagle Forum of Iowa
"Rescindogram"
Newspaper clippings, 1980
Artifacts [buttons and stickers] (1 folder)
Audiovisual material
35 mm. filmstrips [2 cans,
labeled "Federal" and "Iowa"]
"The Fraud Called the
ERA" [removed and shelved with the audiocassette collection: AC222]