Asking for equality for 100 years
1923
The National Women's Party introduces the Equal Rights Amendment into Congress.
"I never doubted that equal rights was the right direction. Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality." Alice Paul
2023
Republican US Senator Lisa Murkowski speaks to the Senate Judiciary hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment February 28, 2023
"Women should have equal treatment to men under the law and Congress should do all it can to ensure the ERA is finally made part of the Constitution—it is long overdue."
Lisa Murkowski, US Senator Alaska
1923—The ERA is introduced into Congress
1937—The first national women's organization, The Business and Professional Women, endorses the ERA
1940—Republican Party adds the ERA to their platform
1942--The Democratic Party adds the ERA to their platform
1946—The ERA is voted on in the Senate
1970-72—Over the objection of ERA proponents a seven year time limit is added to the resolving clause to get around objections of opponents lead by Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina.
1972-The ERA passes Congress and is sent to the states for ratification
1973—Twenty-two states ratify
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1977—Indiana becomes the 35th and final state to ratify
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1978—Congress extends the deadline until 1982
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June 30, 1982—the ERA fails by three states to achieve full ratification.
1997-- The legal opinion "Why the ERA Remains Legally Viable and Properly Before the States" is published. The opinion outlines the legal rationale for a "Three States Strategy".
2001--The ERA Campaign Network publishes an opinion poll conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation that finds 96% of Americans believe women and men should have equal rights.
2001--Campaigns to ratify the ERA begin in several of the unratified states.
2002--4ERA is founded by Idella Moore and begins ratification efforts in states that never ratified the ERA.
2005--4ERA organizes and hosts first convention of ERA unratified states. Held in Atlanta Georgia on June 3-5.
2017--Nevada becomes the 36th state to ratify the ERA and the first state to ratify since 1977.
2018--Illinois ratifies the ERA.
2020--Virginia becomes the 38th state to ratify the ERA.
Today 12 states have not ratified the ERA. Theses states are Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah.
ERA Timeline
 betty ford era |  eramerica |
|---|---|
 Coretta-Scott-King-Feminists |  1977 women's conference poster |
 real men are feminists |  era MARCH TALLAHASSEE |
 women's march era |  era with capitol dome |
 wilma mankiller_edited |  oklahoma era photo |
 A1-Flags-and-Poles-Flags-State-Oklahoma-Flag-1A |  state flag of utah |
 pat spearman_edited |  mississippi flag |
 illinois ratifies lou lang_edited |  Flag_of_North_Carolina.svg |
 missouri state flag |  VA ratifies the ERA |
 women's labor union pin |  Woman with Headscarf |
 Scales of Justice |  women in the military_edited |
 4era round logo resized |  era sally sharon stacy at the capitol |
 Add a Title |  2243166_edited |
 Happy Young Girls |  disabled women |
 AR_Flag |  flag of alabama |
 arizona-state-flag_0 |  state flag of florida |
 georgia flag_edited |  LouisianaStateFlagRGBSmall |
mississippi flag | missouri state flag |
A1-Flags-and-Poles-Flags-State-Oklahoma-Flag-1A | state flag of utah |
 south carolina state flag | state flag of utah |
ERA Quotes
1975
"In this Land of the Free, it is right, and by nature it ought to be, that all men and all women are equal before the law."
President Gerald R. Ford, Women's Equality Day August 26, 1975
1976
"The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: It's a girl." Shirley Chisholm, NY Congresswoman and first Black woman to be elected to Congress
1982
"The time for equality in the United States of America is never ended, never defeated, never killed. And to suggest otherwise, to suggest that equality in this great country has a deadline of expiration, a date of finality, is to renounce the very values which are America."
Florida Governor Bob Graham, 1982
speaking at an ERA rally in Tallahassee, Florida
2001
"Isn't it wrong that in the year 2001 women still do not have equal treatment under the law? Isn't it wrong that the Equal Rights Amendment has floundered for so long? I am proud to stand here today as a man supporting equal rights for women. But it is also wrong that we still NEED to be here - fighting a fight that should have been won for our grandmothers." Sen. Jon Corzine, Friday, March 2, 2001
2004
"Despite pronouncements in the 1980s to the contrary, the Equal Rights Amendment is not dead. Actually, by all indications, the battle has heated up in recent years. "
from "Do We Still Need the ERA", May 6, 2004
2005
"We're making our case through public diplomacy, stating clearly and confidently our belief in self-determination, and the rule of law, and religious freedom, and equal rights for women, beliefs that are right and true in every land, and in every culture."
President George W. Bush speaking at the National Endowment for Democracy, October 2005.
More to come....