Dear ,
The middle of the twentieth century saw numerous groups and movements pushing for a greater recognition of equality and civil rights. One of these groups was the National Organization of Women (NOW). Formed in 1966, the group argued in its statement of purpose that “the time has come for a new movement toward true equality for all women in America, and toward a fully equal partnership of the sexes, as part of the worldwide revolution of human rights now taking place within and beyond our national borders.”
In 1968, NOW published its Bill of Rights, setting forth its demands for placing women on equal footing with men. Explore this document in this primary source activity from our comprehensive U.S. history resource, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
As an extension, have students compare and contrast different views on women’s movements of the period by reading two additional narratives from Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, Phyllis Schlafly and the Debate over the Equal Rights Amendment and The Birth Control Pill. | 
