Divided We Stand: The Battle Over Women's Rights and Family Values That Polarized American Politics

In 1977, leading voices in the women’s rights movement, including Bella Abzug and Gloria Steinem, met in Houston for the National Women’s Conference. There, they adopted a National Plan of Action and endorsed controversial issues such as abortion rights, the Equal Rights Amendment, and gay rights. Meanwhile, leaders of the conservative women’s movement, including Phyllis Schlafly and Lottie Beth Hobbs, held a massive rally across town to protest federally funded feminism and launch a pro-family movement. In commemoration of the 40th anniversary, this timely talk by Marjorie J. Spruill explores how these monumental events defined modern politicization of women’s issues.

In collaboration with the New-York Historical Society, the Bryant Park Reading Room presents a series of free lectures on popular topics including the Supreme Court, the Cold War, presidential biography, and more.