The University of Iowa Libraries

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.

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.

Alternate Extent Statement: 1 audiocassette [AC222]

Access: The records are open for research.

Use:

Acquisition: The records (donor no. 19) were donated by Donna L. Leporte in 1981.

Preferred Citation: Iowa Women Against the Equal Rights Amendment records, Iowa Women's Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City.

Repository:	Iowa Women's Archives
Address:	100 Main Library University of Iowa Libraries Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone:	319-335-5068
Curator:	Kären Mason
Email:	lib-women@uiowa.edu
Website:	http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/iwa

This collection is indexed under the following subject terms.

Corporate Names:
Iowa Women Against the Equal Rights Amendment

Dates:
1970-1979
1980-1989

Topics:
Political campaigns
Women's rights
Equal rights amendments
Women in politics

Geographic Names:
Iowa

Genre/Form of Materials:
Administrative records
Archives
Sound recordings
Cultural artifacts
Motion pictures

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Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
Women, Politics and the Law
Women's Clubs and Organizations