Day of Rebellion for the ERA
The Day of Rebellion for the ERA was an event in 1982 organized by activists in support of the Equal Rights Amendment during the final struggle for ratification in Illinois.{{Cite news |date=June 4, 1982 |title=Chained ERA Supporters Stage "Day of Rebellion" In Senate |work=Logansport Pharos-Tribune}}
File:Mary Lee Sargent Holding ERA Banner.jpg holding a pro-Equal Rights Amendment banner]]
Overview of the event
The Day of Rebellion occurred on June 3, 1982.{{Cite news |last=Schoenburg |first=Bernie |date=June 2, 1982 |title=ERA Fasters to Join at Home |work=The Pantograph}} It was modeled after the militant wing of the women's suffrage movement and organized a group known as A Grassroots Group of Second Class Citizens. Direction action activities included the women chaining themselves to the entrance of the Senate chamber. Participant May Lee Sargent from Champaign, Illinois said, "In the suffrage movement, this is called a militant demonstration." The group occupied the capital for four days.{{Cite web |last=Fauxsmith |first=Jennifer |title=Research Guides: Protest Movements and Civil Disobedience: Archival Collections--Individuals |url=https://guides.library.harvard.edu/schlesinger/protest/archives-people |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=guides.library.harvard.edu |language=en}} Some of the women even slept in their chains.{{Cite news |date=June 4, 1982 |title=ERA Supporters in Illinois Sleep in Capital, Some Still in Chains |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch}}
Roughly 200 people took part in this direction action. {{Cite news |date=June 4, 1982 |title=Equal Rights Amendment Has Stalled in Illinois |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel}} The women loudly encouraged legislators to free them from discrimination based on sex. They chanted "equality now, break our chains" and "we want ERA."{{Cite news |date=June 4, 1982 |title=ERA Protesters, Draped in Chains, Barricade Senate |work=Herald and Review}} This demonstration took place alongside a fast known as Women Hunger for Justice.{{Cite news |date=June 4, 1982 |title=ERA Backers Don Chains |work=The Salina Journal}}