The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Digital Library
Women's Rights
During the 1970s debate over women's economic and civil rights, social role, and political power became a more prominent part of the public agenda. The Ford White House faced these issues in many guises: an Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, development of Title IX regulations barring sex discrimination in education, military academy admissions, abortion policy, and credit and property law, for examples. The substantive and the symbolic intertwined on such matters as the appointment of women, communication with women voters, and participation in the United Nations International Women's Year, 1975. First Lady Betty Ford was the focus of conflicting reactions and expectations for her candor on some social, political, and health issues. Throughout the Ford administration, women office-holders such as Housing Secretary Carla Hills, the first woman appointed to the Cabinet in 20 years, sought to exercise greater power on issues unrelated to gender. |
Digitized Holdings Related to Women's Rights
General:- Betty Ford White House Papers
- Betty Ford speeches from the Frances Kaye Pullen Files
- Sheila Weidenfeld Files (Betty Ford daily events, trips, and general information on East Wing handling of women's issues)
- Philip Buchen Files, folder Women's Groups
- James Cannon Files, folder Women's Rights
- Betty Ford White House Papers, folder Women in 1974 - Citizen's Advisory Council on the Status of Women
- Women's Equality Day Proclamations, 1974-1976
- Photograph of President Gerald R. Ford Signing the Proclamation on Women's Equality Day 1974 in the Cabinet Room, August 22, 1974
Abortion:
- Folders from the Philip Buchen Files
- Abortion (1)
- Abortion (2)
- Defense Department - Abortion Policy (1)
- Defense Department - Abortion Policy (2)
- Folders from the James Cannon Files
- Richard Cheney Files, folder Abortion
- Vernon Loen and Charles Leppert Files, folder Abortion
- Folders from the Ron Nessen Papers
- Folders from the Robert Teeter Papers (Richard Nixon 1972 Presidential Campaign Memoranda)
- Sheila Weidenfeld Files, folder Ford, Betty - Abortion
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA):
- Remarks by Rep. Gerald R. Ford on the Resolution Proposing a Women's Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, August 10, 1970
- Ron Nessen Papers, folder Equal Rights Amendment
- Folders from the Sheila Weidenfeld Files
- "Answers to Questions about Equal Rights Amendment" Pamphlet from the National Women's Party
- "You Can't Fool Mother Nature" STOP ERA Pamphlet
- Letter from Phyllis Schlafly to Patricia S. Lindh, November 18, 1974
- Letter from Phyllis Schlafly to Patricia S. Lindh, December 3, 1974
- Memorandum from Betty Ford to White House Staff Regarding a Presentation on ERA, February 6, 1975
- Letter from Mildred Burroughs to Betty Ford, February 11, 1975
- Photograph of First Lady Betty Ford Expressing Her Support for the Equal Rights Amendment in Hollywood, Florida, February 25, 1975
- Memorandum for Sheila Weidenfeld from Doug Bailey and John Deardourff Regarding an ERA Telephone Call to Illinois State Senator John Nimrod, March 2, 1975
- Memorandum for Betty Ford Regarding Mail Received the Week of February 8, 1975 Through March 6, 1975
- Letter from Betty Friedan to Betty Ford, August 13, 1975
International Women's Year (IWY):
- International Women's Year Proclamation, January 20, 1974
- White House Press Releases Related to International Women's Year, January 9, 1975 - October 14, 1976
- Betty Ford White House Papers, folder International Women's Year
- Folders from the Sheila Weidenfeld Files
- Executive Order Establishing a National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year, 1975, January 9, 1975
- White House Communications Agency Audio: Remarks of President Gerald R. Ford at a Bill Signing for Observance of International Women's Year, January 9, 1975, WAV or MP3
- Ford Library Photographs Related to International Women's Year in the National Archives Catalog, January 9 - October 25, 1975
- Trip File folders from the Betty Ford White House Papers
- Trip File folders from the Sheila Weidenfeld Files
- White House Photograph Contact Sheets: Betty Ford at the Greater Cleveland Congress of International Women's Year, October 25, 1975
- White House Communications Agency Video: Betty Ford Addresses the Greater Cleveland Congress of International Women's Year, October 25, 1975
- External Resource: "...To Form A More Perfect Union...": Justice For American Women, Report of the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year, June 1976 (via Hathi Trust Digital Library)
Legislation Case Files:
- Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (prohibited sex discrimination related to housing)
- 8/22/74 S3066 Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (1)
- 8/22/74 S3066 Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (2)
- 8/22/74 S3066 Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (3)
- 8/22/74 S3066 Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (4)
- 8/22/74 HJR1105 Women's Equality Day
- 12/26/74 HR8864 Little League Baseball (amended charter to allow girls to play)
- 12/23/1975 HR9924 National Women's Conference
- 3/19/1976 HR6516 Equal Credit Opportunity Act Amendements of 1976
- Department of Defense Appropriation Authorization Act 1976 (permitted women to be admitted to the military service academies)
Native American Women:
- Folders from the Bradley H. Patterson Files
Title IX:
- Folders from the Philip Buchen Files
- Folders from the James Cannon Files
- Vernon Loen and Charles Leppert Files, folder Health, Education and Welfare, Department of
- Ron Nessen Papers, folder Education
Women in Government:
- Speeches of Carla Hills, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
- Betty Ford White House Papers, folder Supreme Court Justice Nominees
- Folders from the Sheila Weidenfeld Files
- Press Conference of Anne Armstrong, Counsellor to the President; Rhea Hammer, Vice Chairwoman, National Women's Political Caucus; and Marie Bowden, President, National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., September 6, 1974
- Press Conference of Sylvia Porter, Chairperson, Citizens' Action Committee to Fight Inflation, October 12, 1974
- President's Memorandum for Heads of Departments and Agencies on Equal Employment for Women and Minorities, March 6, 1975
- Exchange of Remarks between the President and Carla A. Hills at the Swearing-in Ceremony of Carla A. Hills As Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, March 10, 1975
- Photograph of Carla Hills Delivering Remarks in the East Room after Her Swearing-in as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, March 10, 1975
- James Cannon Files, folder 1975/03/25 - Women Presidential Appointees
- Remarks of Vice President Nelson Rockefeller at the Conference on Women in Public Life, LBJ Memorial Library, November 10, 1975
- Exchange of Remarks between the President and Anne L. Armstrong upon being Sworn-in as Ambassador to Great Britain, February 19, 1976
- President Appoints Jeanne M. Holm, Major General USAF (Retired) as Special Assistant to the President for Women, March 8, 1976
- Exchange of Remarks between the President and Jeanne Holm, Major General USAF (Ret.), Special Assistant to the President for Women, March 8, 1976
- Photograph of President Gerald Ford Meeting with Major General Jeanne Holm, Special Assistant for Women's Affairs, in the Oval Office, March 8, 1976
- Photograph of President Gerald R. Ford Meeting with William J. Baroody, Jr., Major General Jeanne Holm, Patricia Lindh, and Karen Keesling in the Oval Office, March 8, 1976
- Remarks of the President upon His Receipt of the Annual Report from the Council on the Status of Women, April 24, 1976
- Remarks of the President to the Women in Government, April 26, 1976
- Exchange of remarks between the President and Shirley Temple Black Upon Being Sworn In as Chief of Protocol, July 20, 1976
- Photograph of Shirley Temple Black Delivering Remarks after Being Sworn-in as Chief of Protocol in the Cabinet Room, July 20, 1976
Women and the 1976 Election:
- Betty Ford White House Papers, folder Ford, Gerald - Records on Women's Rights Issues for 1976 Presidential Campaign
- Ron Nessen Papers, folder Reagan - Women
- 1976 Republican Platform: Equal Rights and Ending Discrimination, August 1976
- President Ford '76 Factbook - Women, September 8, 1976