National Organization for Women
In 1966, angered by the refusal of federal Civil Rights policymakers to address sex discrimination in the workplace, a group of twenty-eight women including activists Betty Friedan (1921-2006) and Pauli Murray (1910–1985) met in Washington, D.C., to explore ways to strengthen the fight. The National Organization for Women (NOW) was the result. Founded “to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now,” NOW currently has hundreds of chapters and thousands of members across the nation. Through grassroots activism and highly visible mass marches and demonstrations, NOW is an active voice for myriad feminist causes, including women’s legal equality, reproductive rights, economic justice, and protection from sex- and gender-based violence.