The National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year was formed in 1975. The Commission organized the National Women’s Conference that met in Houston, Texas in 1977. Conferences in the U.S. states and territories chose delegates and planned agenda topics for the National Conference.

The National Women’s Conference delegates voted to support ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution. The Equal Rights Amendment had been ratified by the State of Idaho in 1972, but Idaho rescinded its ratification of the amendment in 1977. The Amendment did not become law.

This page provides information on where to find information about the Idaho Women’s Conference and related topics.

• Archives
• Documents
• Conferences
  • International Women’s Year and Conference
  • National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year
  • Idaho Women’s Conference
  • National Women’s Conference
• Related Topics
  • Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
  • Idaho Women’s Commission
  • 14th Amendment
  • 19th Amendment
  • Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • Title IX of the Education Amendment (1972)

Archives

• National Archives
• GovInfo
• Presidential Libraries
  • 1969-1974 – Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
  • 1974-1977 – Online exhibit on Women’s Rights from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum
  • 1977-1981 – Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
• The Elizabeth Schoenfeld Papers, ca. 1970s – Utah Historical Society
• Search for collections using Archives West (Orbis Cascade Alliance) – Search for “National Women’s Conference” Idaho.
• U.S. National Commission for UNESCO documents indexed in The Online Books Page  – This resource was created by John Mark Ockerbloom of the University of Pennsylvania.
• Congressional Research Service
• See also: Newspapers

Documents

• Proclamation 4262, International Women’s Year 1975. Signed by President Richard M. Nixon on January 30, 1974.
• Executive Order 11832, President Gerald R. Ford, January 9, 1975.
• Public Law 94-167, December 23, 1975. 89 Stat. 1003 – An act to direct the National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year, 1975, to organize and convene a National Women’s Conference, and for other purposes. United States Statutes at Large.
• R.9924 – An Act to direct the National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year, 1975, to organize and convene a National Women’s Conference, and for other purposes. 94th Congress (1975-1976).

Conferences

International Women’s Year (1975) and Conference in Mexico City

• World Conference of the International Women’s Year June 19 through July 2, 1975 in Mexico City, Mexico. United Nations.  – Find official U.N. documents on this site.
• “A Brief History on the Commission on the Status of Women.” United Nations Women.
• Report of the World Conference of the International Women’s Year: Mexico City, June 19 through July 2, 1975. E/CONF.66/34 (PDF). New York: United Nations, 1976. – To open this document you will need to first select a language.
• Report on Women in America. The United States National Commission for UNESCO. International Organization and Conference Series 132. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of State: for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, November 1977.
• Online exhibit on Women’s Rights from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum.

National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year (1975)

• Bryant, Barbara Everitt. Market Opinion Research. American women today & tomorrow. Washington, D.C.: National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977.
• Cook, Linda J. The legal status of homemakers in Idaho. LS-Idaho No. 13. Washington, D.C.: Homemakers Committee, National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977.
• National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year.” American Women on the Move.” Washington, D.C.: National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year, 1977. Google Books.
• National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year. Washington, DC: National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year: for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1978.
• Jean M. Westwood papers, 1934-1995. University of Utah Libraries Special Collections (on Archives West).

Idaho Women’s Conference (May 21-22, 1977) Boise, Idaho

• Idaho Women’s Conference Collection. MS 0428. Idaho State Archives.
• Lillie Mae Hermann Papers, 1975-1979. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives.
• Norma Dobler Papers, 1967-1991. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives.

Idaho Women’s Conference Articles

• Kadding, Hope. “Idaho Women Speak Out on Issues.” Letter to the Editor. The Idaho Statesman. May 8, 1977, page 3B.
• Accola, John. “Women hash out national resolutions.” The Idaho Statesman. May 22, 1977, front page.
• “Women’s Conference should be repeated.” Twin Falls Times News. May 22, 1977. page 4.
• Whitacre, Dianne. “Conference of Women Backs ERA.” The Idaho Statesman. May 23, 1977, front page.
• Harvey, Carol D. H. “Women’s confab.” Letter to the Editor. The Idaho Statesman. June 22, 1977, page 11A.
• Hill, Susan. “Stacking the Deck for ERA.” Guest Opinion. The Idaho Statesman. July 7, 1977, page 16A.
• Dieter, Alice. “How long till women are equal?” Editorial. The Idaho Statesman. July 19, 1978, page 8A.
• McKeeth, Sylvia. “IWY Sessions Seen as Rigged.” Guest Opinion. The Idaho Statesman. October 28, 1977, page 10A.
• Roelofs, Ruth. “Women’s Meeting Delegate Wants Input From Idahoans.” The Idaho Statesman. November 5, 1977, page 16A.
• Hoppe, Betty. “IWY Delegates Are ‘Pro-Family’, Too.” Open Letter. The Idaho Statesman. November 19, 1977, page 6A.
• Richards, Carol; Gannett News Service. “Women Open National Convention.” The Idaho Statesman. November 19, 1977, page 3A.

National Women’s Conference (1977) Houston, Texas

• The spirit of Houston: The First National Women’s Conference: an official report to the President, the Congress and the people of the United States. Washington: National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1978.
• 1977 National Women’s Conference: A Question of Choices (television):
  • “1977 National Women’s Conference: A Question of Choices.” Moving Picture (television). KERA, Houston, Texas. AAPB ID cpb-aacip-526-f47gq6s51g. American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) (WGBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, Massachusetts and Washington, DC.
  • “1977 National Women’s Conference: A Question of Choices.” Moving Picture (television). KERA, Houston, Texas. Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI).
• Spruill, Marjorie Julian. Divided we stand: the battle over women’s rights and family values that polarized American politics. New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury, 2017.
• Code of Federal Regulations: National Women’s Conference Rules of Order. 45 C.F.R. (1978). Library of Congress.
• “Spotlight: National Women’s Conference of 1977.” The Unwritten Record (Blog). The National Archives. November 16, 2017.
• Guide to the National Women’s Conference Records, 1975-1977. Archives & Special Collections Library at Vassar College.

National Women’s Conference articles

• • Howe, Louise Kapp. “What American women want.” McCall’s. November 1977. Volume 105. page 198.
  • Sheils, M. “Women’s agenda.” Newsweek. November 28, 1977. Volume 90. page 57.
  • “Can women’s lib sell its program? National Women’s Conference in Houston.” U.S. News & World Report. December 5, 1977. Volume 83. page 31 (1 page).
  • Lyles, J. C. “Womens’ work: making a difference.” Christian Century. December 7, 1977. Volume 94. page 1131 (3 pages).
  • Friedan, Betty. “Women at Houston.” New Republic. December 10, 1977. Volume 177. page 15 (5 pages).
  • Komisar, Lucy. “Feminism as National Politics.” Nation. December 10, 1977. Vol. 225 Issue 20. pages 624-627 (4 pages).
  • Klein, Joe; Willis, Ellen. “Houston: women unite.” Rolling Stone. January 12, 1978. page 32.
  • Carroll, Elizabeth. “Women on the move: reflections on Houston.” America. January 21, 1978. Volume 138. page 39 (3 pages).
  • Sayre, Nora. “Harmony and dissonance in Houston.” Progressive. February 1978. Volume 42. page 13 (5 pages).

Related Topics

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Idaho ratified the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in 1972 but resolved to rescind ratification in 1977. Idaho defended its rescission of ratification in the U.S. District Court for Idaho. The National Organization for Women (NOW) and the federal General Services Administration (GSA) appealed the decision. The case was consolidated with cases from other states by the Supreme Court, but by the time the Court convened to rule on the case, the extended deadline for ratification set by Congress had already passed. The Equal Rights Amendment has not been ratified by enough states to become law (see CRS Report R42979 (PDF)).

• Equal Rights Amendment (unratified). National Archives.
• National Organization for Women, Boise Chapter. Collection Number: MSS 204. 1976-1987. Boise State University Library, Special Collections and Archives (on Archives West).
• Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to equal rights for men and women. United States Statutes at Large (on GovInfo)
• The Long Road to Equality: What Women Won from the ERA Ratification Effort. Library of Congress.
• Dixon, Barbara, Government and General Research Division. “Major Legislation Enacted by the 92nd Congress Affecting the Status of Women.” HQ 1428 U.S. D. (PDF) June 1, 1973. (UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.)
• Neale, Thomas H. “The Proposed Equal Rights Amendment: Contemporary Ratification Issues” (PDF). CRS Report. R42979. Congressional Research Service. Updated December 23, 2019. – Includes information about the court case, State of Idaho v. Freeman.
• Spruill, Marjorie Julian. Divided we stand: the battle over women’s rights and family values that polarized American politics. New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury, 2017.
• House Report 116-378. Removing the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. (PDF). Committee on the Judiciary. – Includes a History of the Equal Rights Amendment.
• Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Slip Opinion. Opinions of the Office of Legal Counsel in Volume 44. United States Supreme Court.
• Online exhibit on Women’s Rights from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. – This exhibit includes digitized primary source documents.
• Harvey, Sheridan. American women: a Library of Congress guide for the study of women’s history and culture in the United States. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 2001. Electronic version.

Equal Rights Amendment (E.R.A.) Articles

• Cameron, Mindy. “Women Dislike Slow Legislative pace.” The Idaho Statesman. February 5, 1973 page 8.
• “’Pro-Family’ Group: Eagle Forum Sets Goals.” The Idaho Statesman. November 20, 1977, page 1B.
• “Leroy to sue U.S. over denial of ERA recision.” The Idaho Statesman. May 2, 1979, page 4B.
• Etlinger, Charles. “ERA Judge’s Impartiality Challenged.” The Idaho Statesman. August 25, 1979, page 1A, 3A.
• Rosenwald, Lonnie. Carter Accused of Foot Dragging on ERA. The Idaho Statesman. April 20, 1980 page 1B, Local.
• Associated Press. “Republican Platform at a Glance.’ The Idaho Statesman. July 11, 1980, page 4A.
• Carelli, Richard. “Ruling on ERA deadline, rescissions due this week.” The Idaho Statesman. December 21, 1981, page B1.
• “Judge rejects ERA extension.” The Idaho Statesman. December 24, 1981, page 1A, 5A, 6A.
• “High court sets aside judge’s ERA ruling.” The Idaho Statesman. January 16, 1982 page 1A.
• Associated Press. “Law on constitutional amendments scored.” The Idaho Statesman. August 20, 1986 page 4C.
• Russell, Betsy Z. “Eye on Boise: Idaho’s role in the ERA ratification saga.” Idaho Press. December 14, 2019.
• Russell, Betsy Z. (Idaho Press). “Idaho’s role in the Equal Rights Amendment ratification saga.” KTVB. Published: 9:38 AM MST December 17, 2019. Updated: 11:11 AM MST December 17, 2019.
• Local News 8 News Team. “Equal Rights Amendment introduced to the House.” Local News 8/Eyewitness News 3. Idaho Falls, Idaho. January 23, 2020 2:08 PM Published January 23, 2020 2:12 PM.

Idaho Women’s Commission

• Title 67 § 60 Idaho Women’s Commission. Idaho State Legislature.

14^th Amendment

• Fourteenth Amendment: Citizenship, Equal Protection, and Other Post-Civil War Provisions. Constitution of the United States (Annotated).
• Landmark Legislation: The Fourteenth Amendment. United States Senate.
• Reed v. Reed, 404 U.S. 71 (1971)

19^th Amendment

• The 19^th Amendment was ratified by Idaho on February 11, 1920.
• Idaho and the 19th Amendment. National Park Service.
• So We Did: Celebrating Women’s Suffrage at 100, City of Boise Department of  Arts & History

Civil Rights Act of 1964

• 78 Stat. 241 – Civil Rights Act – July 2, 1964 – featured topic on GovInfo. June 2, 2016 https://www.govinfo.gov/features/civil-rights-act
• Landmark Legislation: The Civil Rights Act of 1964. United States Senate.
• The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Long Struggle for Freedom. Library of Congress.
• 78 Stat. 241 – An Act to enforce the constitutional right to vote, to confer jurisdiction upon the district courts of the United States to provide injunctive relief against discrimination in public accommodations, to authorize the Attorney General to institute suits to protect constitutional rights in public facilities and public education, to extend the Commission on Civil Rights, to prevent discrimination in federally assisted programs, to establish a Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity, and for other purposes. Pub. L. 88-352, United States Statutes at Large (on GovInfo).

Title IX of the Education Amendment (1972)

• U.S. Department of Justice Title IX Legal Manual
• The 14th Amendment and the Evolution of Title IX. United States Courts educational resource.

 

Posted by Ronnie Joiner March 23, 2022.