Witter, Johann Jakob -1747

Jean Witter was born Jean Peindl on July 23, 1927, and was raised in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. She earned a degree in crystallography from Duquesne University during World War II, which was rather rare for the time period. She worked as a chemical librarian until she was able to get a research position at the University of Pittsburgh. She married DuWayne Witter and had two sons. During the 1960s, Witter became interested in the women's rights movement, and became one of the first presidents of the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW). She was interested primarily in the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and was appointed Chairperson for NOW's ERA Committee. In order to strengthen her arguments and credibility, Witter attended law school at Duquesne in the early 1970s. After passing the bar exam, Witter threw herself into promoting the ratification of the ERA. One of her most significant contributions to the campaign was a legal opinion she authored that prompted Congress to extend the deadline for ratification by three years. After the ERA failed to pass, Witter still remained active as a lawyer, mostly by advocating women's issues, particularly in regards to sexual discrimination and equal employment rights. Witter passed away in 2008, at the age of 80.

From the description of Jean Witter papers, 1953-2007. (University of Pittsburgh). WorldCat record id: 589140618