On June 30, 1966, Betty Friedan, Kay Clarenbach, Pauli Murray, Caroline Davis, Richard Graham, and 28 other civil rights activists met in Washington, D.C., and founded the National Organization for Women (N.O.W.). Established as a private, non-profit organization, N.O.W.'s mission provided "action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men." The group would grow to be the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States, including 500,000 contributing members and 550 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Savannah's National Organization for Women comprises one of those 550 chapters. Established in May of 1972, the organization's members worked for women's equality locally. Led by Sandra Mitzel, U.S. Department of Labor Wage-Specialist, a Savannah NOW founding member, and the organization's first President, the group met bi-monthly at the Savannah science Museum on Paulsen Street and later at the YWCA located on Oglethorpe Avenue. Savannah NOW leadership rotated annually for the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary and Public Relations, and Treasurer, and some leaders included chapter conveners Beth Kinsler, Judy Dubus, and Alice Durden, as well as Alice Bales and Jan Bohannon. Savannah NOW began publishing a newsletter, the Savannah NOWsletter, in April 1974. It highlighted recent legislation and news stories concerning women as well as Savannah NOW activities and upcoming events by topic. Although Savannah NOW members participated in and contributed to Georgia Chapter, Southeast-Region, and National Chapter NOW conferences and events, Savannah NOW traditionally focused its efforts on the Savannah area. Members formed task forces to identify challenges facing women and then worked in groups to target those challenges and end sex discrimination locally. Topics included a lack of female representation in politics, sex discrimination in education, the poor portrayal of women in the media, and many more. Although the Savannah NOW records document the years 1970-1984, the organization remains vital and continues in operation today.
From the description of National Organization for Women, Savannah Chapter records, 1970-1984. (Georgia Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 77118376
