This Month in History: June

June 30, 1981 – Kick Off of the ERA Countdown Campaign led by NOW President Eleanor Smeal and Honorary Co-Chairs, Betty Ford and Alan Alda; the deadline for ratification of the ERA was June 30, 1982.

June 21, 1973 –  In the case of the Pittsburgh Press v. the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations and the National Organization for Women, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Press’ policy of publishing want ads separately for women and men violated the Pittsburgh anti-discrimination ordinance.

June 30, 1982 –Illinois was one of three states needed to ratify the ERA. The f ailure of the Illinois Legislature to pass the ERA was a death keel for the campaign to ratify the amendment.

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

June 10, 1920 (2011): Ellen Berliner co-founded the South Hills Association for Racial Equality in the 1966 and the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh in 1974.

June 22, 1944: Sandra Bem is a psychologist know for her research on the social construction of gender and sexuality. She was a founding member of the Greater Pittsburgh Area NOW chapter in 1967.