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COLLECTION Identifier: 77-M104--77-M196

Records of the Committee to Ratify the Massachusetts State Equal Rights Amendment, 1975-1976

Overview

Correspondence, speeches, minutes, etc., of the Committee to Ratify the Massachusetts State Equal Rights Amendment, formed to replace the Massachusetts State ERA Coalition and to raise money for the ratification campaign in November 1976.

Dates

  • Creation: 1975-1976

Language of Materials

Materials in English.

Access Restrictions:

Access. Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright. Copyright in the records created by the Committee to Ratify the Massachusetts State Equal Rights Amendment as well as copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns.

Copying. Papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures.

Extent

3 linear feet (3 cartons)

The papers consist of campaign files: correspondence, speeches, lists of events and speakers; also clippings about the campaign. National and non-Mass. clippings about ERA have been weeded out and placed in the vertical file.

For early history of the Coalition see folders 1-4; for structure and organization of the Committee see folder 73.

HISTORY

The Massachusetts state ERA Coalition (consisting of representatives of 40 civic, religious, business and professional groups), was formed to lobby for the passage of the state ERA through the legislature. In May, 1974 the ERA was endorsed and in the summer of 1975 the Coalition was phased out and the Committee to Ratify the Massachusetts State ERA was created to campaign for ratification in the November 1976 referendum. The Committee replaced the Coalition so that funds could be raised or expended. According to the state's campaign finance laws, non-profit groups (represented in the Coalition) could not render assistance of supplies, facilities or money without endangering their preferred tax status. Thus the Committee was composed of members who assumed responsibility as individuals and not as representatives of particular groups. Although all the finance for the campaign was raised independently, organizations continued to work for ratification through their outreach and educational task forces. The campaign was successfully concluded by ratification in November 1976.

Physical Location

Collection stored off site: researchers must request access 36 hours before use.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Accession numbers: 77-M104, 77-M196

Related Material:

There is related material at the Schlesinger Library; see Committee to Ratify the Massachusetts State Equal Rights Amendment Additional records, 1976-1982 (84-M145).

CONTAINER LIST

  1. Carton 1: 1-67
  2. Carton 2: 68-94
  3. Carton 3: 96-108

Processing Information

Preliminary inventory: December 1979

By: Jane S. Knowles

Title
Committee to Ratify the Massachusetts State Equal Rights Amendment. Records of the Committee to Ratify the Massachusetts State Equal Rights Amendment, 1975-1976: A Finding Aid
Author
Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
Language of description
eng
EAD ID
sch00522

Repository Details

Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository

The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.

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