1971

Who had the power to be heard?
In 1971 the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), authored by Alice Paul in 1923 and submitted to Congress every year since its introduction, was approved by the U.S. House, and the following year by the full Senate. Soon after that it was submitted to state legislatures for ratification.

ERA Supporters

With a deadline of March 22, 1979, McLean County women and their male supporters took up the challenge to get the ERA passed in Illinois. They argued that the ERA would abolish gender discriminating laws, make gender favoritism and prejudice illegal, clarify legal standards for court rulings on gender discrimination cases, and eliminate the need for a woman to get her husband’s consent to get credit or run a business.

Versus

ERA Opponents

Alton, Illinois resident Phyllis Schafly mobilized conservative women (mostly housewives) in opposition to the ERA. They argued it would deny women the right to be supported by their husbands, privacy rights would be overturned, women would be sent into combat, and abortion and homosexual marriages would be legally sanctioned. Among Stop ERA supporters were members of fundamentalist religious groups. Local Illinois legislators, Senator Harbor Hall and Representative Gil Deavers, listened to both sides, but did not appear interested in passing the ERA.

Who had the power?

A local chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) was organized in the spring of 1973.

McLean County's NOW had support from many other McLean County organizations, including the Women's Political Caucus, The League of Woman Voters, Democratic Women's Organization, Men for ERA, American Association of University Women, as well as women's faculty groups at Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities.

The National Organization for Women (NOW) logo.

"ERA YES" button, circa 1978

Campaign button with ERA YES in capital letters. Background is green.

Donated by: Clarise Jefferson
2016.07.13

Campaign button with ERA YES in capital letters. Background is green.

"Stop ERA" button, circa 1976

Pinback button with with a red stop sign and STOP ERA in white lettering

Normal resident Violet Hamilton campaigned hard against the ERA amendment, and proudly wore this “Stop ERA” button.

Donated by: Violet Hamilton
2004.40.03

Pinback button with with a red stop sign and STOP ERA in white lettering

Luellen Laurenti

Luellen Laurenti, an ISU Spanish and Women's Studies teacher, was among the women who stepped up to lead local women in their fight for equal rights.

Laurenti worked tirelessly to organize local meetings and rallies in support of the ERA in Illinois.

Laurenti joined the Women's Political Caucus, whose goal was to elect legislators who would vote for the passage of the ERA. She became the 44th district coordinator for ERA Central, a statewide group supporting ratification of the ERA, and later the legislative coordinator of the McLean County chapter of NOW.

Black and white photo of a white woman standing at a podium in front of a small audience.

Luellen Laurenti read a telegram of support from Senator Charles Percy during the rally.

Black and white photo of a white woman standing at a podium in front of a small audience.

“We don't want what men have. We want to work as partners to make sanity prevail over insanity; justice over injustice; rationality over irrationality; love over hate; dignity over indignity and peace over war.”

— Nancy Stevenson, Bloomington Pantagraph

On April 9, 1975, Laurenti and 100 other local supporters rallied with thousands of Illinois supporters in Springfield.

The following October, Laurenti kicked off a drive to get 10,000 McLean County signatures in support of the ERA with a rally at Bloomington's Wesley United Methodist Church. The measure had already passed in the Illinois House.

“It is time for the Senate to join the House and carry out the wishes of the majority by ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment this year.”

— Luellen Laurenti

A white woman with glasses, short dark hair with light patches, a floral button up shirt stands on a staircase. behind her you can see part of a sign that reads

Luellen Laurenti pictured at the ERA headquarters in Normal in April 1980.

A white woman with glasses, short dark hair with light patches, a floral button up shirt stands on a staircase. behind her you can see part of a sign that reads

Listen to an audio clip of this story...

Local ERA Opponents

Local opponents to the ERA included Sarah Lohr and Violet Hamilton, both of Normal. They worked hard to persuade McLean County representatives not to support the amendment.

In November 1978, Lohr, chairwoman of McLean County’s Stop ERA, organized a Springfield rally. McLean County legislators Harbor Hall and Gil Deavers voted against the amendment, which did not pass that fall.

On December 11, 1978, both sides faced off on Bloomington’s TV 10. ERA supporters Laurenti and Sandra Harmon, and ERA opponents Hamilton and Lohr debated the affects passage of the Equal Rights Amendment would have on women.

Sarah Lohr is a white woman wearing a black shirt with dark short hair, and Violet Hamilton is a white woman with glasses wearing a beige overcoat with short hair.

Sarah Lohr (left) and Violet Hamilton (right)

Sarah Lohr is a white woman wearing a black shirt with dark short hair, and Violet Hamilton is a white woman with glasses wearing a beige overcoat with short hair.

Ratification Deadline Extended

Pro-ERA supports breathed a sigh of relief in the fall of 1978, when Congress extended the deadline for ratification of the ERA to June 1982.

Lohr called the extended deadline for the ratification of the ERA...

“Blackmail...an unconstitutional process. The Womens Libbers have managed to make members of Congress write laws to suit their purpose. It really infuriates me... Our plans are to do the same as we've been doing for the past six years to try to educate the public to the dangers of the ERA. The Equal Rights Amendment will not get them (women) anything they don't have now, and it will limit their options.”

— Sarah Lohr
Bloomington Pantagraph, October 10,1978

Black and white photo of dozens of women (and a couple men) wearing white are walking in a crowd carrying flags. They are wearing sashes and smiling. Some are pushing strollers.

On May 10, 1980, more than 100 McLean County residents participated in the National ERA March in Chicago.

Black and white photo of dozens of women (and a couple men) wearing white are walking in a crowd carrying flags. They are wearing sashes and smiling. Some are pushing strollers.

ERA Button, circa 1980

Green button with white text that reads I was there! National ERA March. Chicago, Illinois. May 10, 1980.

Clarise Jefferson of Bloomington proudly wore this button during the Chicago march as well as after the event.

Donated by: Clarise Jefferson
2016.07.24

Green button with white text that reads I was there! National ERA March. Chicago, Illinois. May 10, 1980.

"ERA YES" button, circa 1972

Green button with white letters that says ERA RATIFICATION PROJECT ERA YES MCLEAN COUNTY

Normal resident Carol Reitan also marched in Chicago.

Donated by: Carol Reitan
2010.021.2

Green button with white letters that says ERA RATIFICATION PROJECT ERA YES MCLEAN COUNTY

ERA Button, circa 1978

"Another Republican for ERA"

Donated by: Clarise Jefferson
2016.07.19

ERA Button, circa 1978

"GOP for ERA"

Donated by: Clarise Jefferson
2016.07.17

ERA Button, circa 1982

Donated by: Clarise Jefferson
2016.07.23

ERA Button, circa 1978

"Comparable Worth. His. Hers. Pay Equity for Women"

Donated by: Clarise Jefferson
2016.07.12

ERA Button, circa 1978

Donated by: Clarise Jefferson
2016.07.20

ERA Button, circa 1980

"People of Faith for E.R.A"

Donated by: Clarise Jefferson
2016.07.1

Illinois Republican Convention

When the Illinois Republican Convention met in 1980, they voted against continuing national GOP support for the ERA, and chose Phyllis Schafly as their alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention.

Despite strong local grassroots efforts, and numerous votes in the Illinois legislature, Schafly and her Stop ERA supporters successfully prevented passage of the ERA in Illinois.

Black and white photo of a group of white women seated, holding signs against the ERA.

Phyllis Schafly led Stop ERA efforts in Illinois.

Black and white photo of a group of white women seated, holding signs against the ERA.

37 years later...

In 2017, two McLean County women decided it was time to reboot efforts to get the ERA passed in Illinois. With only two states needed to get the required 38 states (Nebraska passed the ERA in early 2017, bringing the total to 36), Sally Pancrazio and Kay Moss began a state-wide campaign to get the ERA passed in Illinois.

They were successful!

On May 30, 2018, the bill was ratified by the Illinois legislature. In the fall of 2018, legislation was pending in congress to eliminate the 1982 deadline and accept ratification, should 38 states pass the ERA.

Reflection Questions

How effectively did Illinois ERA advocates voice their views on the issues?

Why were their efforts unsuccessful?

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