ERAmerica

ERAmerica was a coalition of organizations fighting for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. The organization was bipartisan as Democrat Liz Carpenter and Republican Elly Peterson led the organization as co-chairs.{{Cite web |last=AP |first=John Duricka-staff |title=ERA Liz Carpenter |url=https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/national/era-liz-carpenter/image_9ad6f127-92ca-59bc-acda-43634d7ff485.html |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=Idaho State Journal |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220185009/https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/national/era-liz-carpenter/image_9ad6f127-92ca-59bc-acda-43634d7ff485.html |url-status=dead }}

{{Infobox organization

| name = ERAmerica

| formation = 1976

| founding_location = Washington, D.C.

| dissolved = 1982

| purpose = Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment

| location_country = United States

| leader_name = Liz Carpenter and Elly Peterson

}}

Origins

ERAmerica was founded as a coalition of groups in 1976 and consisted of over 200 organizations.{{Cite book |last=Slavin |first=Sarah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=It0XSBZz2wEC&dq=ERAmerica&pg=PA180 |title=U.S. Women's Interest Groups: Institutional Profiles |date=1995 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-25073-6 |language=en}} The headquarters were based in Washington, D.C.{{Cite news |last=Kleindienst |first=Linda |date=October 10, 1982 |title=Feminists Give Candidates Workers in Lieu of Dollars |work=Fort Lauderdale News}} The purpose of the organization as to seek ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The group was ultimately unsuccessful after the ERA failed in 1982.{{Cite news |last=Nemy |first=Enid |date=2010-03-21 |title=Liz Carpenter, Journalist, Feminist and Johnson Aide, Dies at 89 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/us/politics/21carpenter.html |access-date=2022-12-20 |issn=0362-4331}}

Leadership

ERAmerica was a bipartisan organization. Liz Carpenter was a Democrat and Elly Peterson was a long time member of the Republican Party.{{Cite news |last=Klemesrud |first=Judy |date=March 8, 1976 |title=ERAmerica to Spearhead Effort to Pass Amendment |work=The Post-Crescent}} Both women were founders of the National Women's Political Caucus.File:Liz Carpenter in the University of Texas at Arlington's Library's Special Collections (10003849) (cropped).jpgIn 1976, Jane Wells served as campaign director of ERAmerica. In the early 1980s, Mary Hatwood Futrell served as president.{{Cite news |last=Freivogel |first=Margaret |date=November 3, 1981 |title=Women Looking Beyond ERA |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch}} In 1982, Kathleen Currie served as director of public relations.{{Cite news |last=Hampton |first=Susan |date=February 28, 1982 |title=It's a Fight to the Finish for ERA |work=Johnson City Press}}

Member organizations

Groups affiliated with ERAmerica included Catholics Act for ERA, Housewives for ERA, Common Cause, Girl Scouts, and the NAACP.{{Cite news |last=de Forest |first=Marion |date=December 17, 1981 |title=ERA Coalition Includes 200 Organizations |work=The Naples Daily News}}

ERAmerica Report

In the early 1980s, ERAmerica published a newsletter known as the ERAmerica Report. In the May 1981 edition, they noted the ERA and abortion were separate issues.{{Cite web |title=ERAmerica Report, May 1981, Page 1 |url=https://digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/collection/era/id/2074 |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=digital.tcl.sc.edu |language=en}}

Fundraising for the cause

= 1977 =

File:Rosalynn Carter speaks to an audience of ERA supporters during the National Womens Conference. - NARA - 176939.tif speaks in front of an ERAmerica banner at the 1977 National Women's Conference]]

In 1977, ERAmerica raised $100,000 at the International Women's Year Conference in Houston.

= 1981 =

In 1981, ERAmerica held a luncheon in Michigan where First Lady Helen Milliken spoke.{{Cite news |last=Levin |first=Marj Jackson |date=December 17, 1981 |title=They're Wearing the Badge |work=Detroit Free Press}} Karen Street from Birmingham attended this event and told the press, "This is one of the best things I've ever done. I'm so appreciative of the women who worked for the vote I have today. Some day, I hope women will appreciate what we are doing for the ERA. I have the time to devote to this. Many other women who need it most don't have the time I do."