Over
7,000 New York women and some men convened at the state capitol, Albany,
on July 8-10, 1977 to elect 88 delegates to the National Women's Conference.
Some came as members of organized groups; some came on their own. Busses
were chartered from the major cities and inexpensive dormitory rooms made
available at the local state university. Child care was provided. For
a registration fee of $1, participants could go to a vast array of workshops,
plenaries and line up to vote throughout the weekend. There were free
health tests, films, exhibits and art shows. Topics were determined by
whoever wanted to give a workshop or exhibit. They included education,
law, health care, peace and creativity. Elementary karate was taught by
one group; assertiveness training by another. Women's history was everywhere;
women learned it, and made it. As was true around the country, the most
controversial issues were abortion, sexual preference, and the Equal Rights
Amendment.
Photos of the 1977 NY State Women's
Meeting by Jo Freeman
Please click on thumbnails to view the complete
image
An outdoor meeting at Empire State Plaza
Caucuses, coalitions and meetings were everywhere.
IWY Commissioner Jean O'Leary, co-chair
of the National Gay Task Force confers with Midge Costanza,
special assistant to President Carter
Tanya Melich and Mary Thom
Catherine East, first director of the IWY
staff, and a long time feminist activist in the federal government.
People line up to vote for delegates to
the national conference.
Over
7,000 New York women and some men convened at the state capitol, Albany,
on July 8-10, 1977 to elect 88 delegates to the National Women's Conference.
Some came as members of organized groups; some came on their own. Busses
were chartered from the major cities and inexpensive dormitory rooms made
available at the local state university. Child care was provided. For
a registration fee of $1, participants could go to a vast array of workshops,
plenaries and line up to vote throughout the weekend. There were free
health tests, films, exhibits and art shows. Topics were determined by
whoever wanted to give a workshop or exhibit. They included education,
law, health care, peace and creativity. Elementary karate was taught by
one group; assertiveness training by another. Women's history was everywhere;
women learned it, and made it. As was true around the country, the most
controversial issues were abortion, sexual preference, and the Equal Rights
Amendment.