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National Organization for Women (NOW)

The National Organization for Women (NOW) is a prominent feminist advocacy group founded on June 30, 1966, in Washington, D.C. Its primary mission is to achieve full participation of women in American society, advocating for true equality in partnership with men. NOW engages in various activities to advance its objectives, including lobbying Congress, organizing mass marches and rallies, and grassroots political efforts. The organization is also known for its litigation work, particularly through its Legal Defense Fund, which supports numerous gender-related cases in the Supreme Court.

In the 1970s, NOW spearheaded a nationwide campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment, aiming to secure constitutional equality for women. Although the amendment was ultimately not ratified, NOW made significant strides by extending the ratification period. Additionally, the organization launched the Elect Women for a Change campaign, successfully increasing the number of feminist representatives in Congress during the 1992 and 1996 elections. NOW continues to play a vital role in advocating for women's rights and addressing gender issues through strategic legal action and political engagement.

Full Article

FOUNDED: 1966

DESCRIPTION: The largest feminist organization in the United States, NOW aims primarily to eliminate sexism and all oppression of women.

SIGNIFICANCE: NOW filed amicus briefs in many cases involving sex discrimination that came before the Supreme Court as part of its effort to guarantee equal rights for women, including economic equality, abortion rights, and an end to violence against women.

NOW was established on June 30, 1966, in Washington, DC, by women attending the Third National Conference of the Commission on the Status of Women. The organization hopes to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society in a truly equal partnership with men. NOW achieves its goals through intensive lobbying in Congress, mass marches and rallies, grassroots political organizing, and litigation, including class-action lawsuits. Through its Legal Defense Fund, NOW plays a role in many of the gender-related cases that come before the Supreme Court.

In the 1970s, NOW launched a nationwide campaign to secure passage of the Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution. Although the proposed amendment ultimately failed to be ratified, NOW succeeded in its efforts to extend the time limit for ratification by more than three years. NOW’s independent Elect Women for a Change campaign in the 1992 and 1996 elections sent an unprecedented number of feminist women and men to the US Congress and state capitals. With this strong backing, NOW continues its work toward the constitutional equality of women, largely through litigation before the Court. In 2022, NOW was an active participant in protests regarding the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022). NOW organized protests to advocate for abortion rights and express outrage over the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 


Bibliography

“About.” National Organization for Women, now.org/about. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

“History.” National Organization for Women, now.org/about/history. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

McNamee, Gabrielle. “National Organization for Women Hosts Rally Outside SCOTUS.” The Eagle, 12 July 2024, www.theeagleonline.com/article/2024/07/national-organization-for-women-hosts-rally-outside-scotus. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

"Reproductive Rights and Justice." National Organization for Women, now.org/issues/abortion-rights-reproductive-issues/. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

Full Article

FOUNDED: 1966

DESCRIPTION: The largest feminist organization in the United States, NOW aims primarily to eliminate sexism and all oppression of women.

SIGNIFICANCE: NOW filed amicus briefs in many cases involving sex discrimination that came before the Supreme Court as part of its effort to guarantee equal rights for women, including economic equality, abortion rights, and an end to violence against women.

NOW was established on June 30, 1966, in Washington, DC, by women attending the Third National Conference of the Commission on the Status of Women. The organization hopes to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society in a truly equal partnership with men. NOW achieves its goals through intensive lobbying in Congress, mass marches and rallies, grassroots political organizing, and litigation, including class-action lawsuits. Through its Legal Defense Fund, NOW plays a role in many of the gender-related cases that come before the Supreme Court.

In the 1970s, NOW launched a nationwide campaign to secure passage of the Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution. Although the proposed amendment ultimately failed to be ratified, NOW succeeded in its efforts to extend the time limit for ratification by more than three years. NOW’s independent Elect Women for a Change campaign in the 1992 and 1996 elections sent an unprecedented number of feminist women and men to the US Congress and state capitals. With this strong backing, NOW continues its work toward the constitutional equality of women, largely through litigation before the Court. In 2022, NOW was an active participant in protests regarding the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022). NOW organized protests to advocate for abortion rights and express outrage over the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 


Bibliography

“About.” National Organization for Women, now.org/about. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

“History.” National Organization for Women, now.org/about/history. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

McNamee, Gabrielle. “National Organization for Women Hosts Rally Outside SCOTUS.” The Eagle, 12 July 2024, www.theeagleonline.com/article/2024/07/national-organization-for-women-hosts-rally-outside-scotus. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

"Reproductive Rights and Justice." National Organization for Women, now.org/issues/abortion-rights-reproductive-issues/. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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