The Women's Equity Action League (WEAL) was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1968. Originally formed as a "middle-of-the-road" organization, WEAL sought to attract "more conservative" women who were not comfortable with the then-radical, confrontational politics of the National Organization for Women (NOW). WEAL members devoted their efforts to winning economic advancement for women and eliminating sexism in educational institutions.
The Iowa regional affiliate, from which most of these records have been collected, was formed in late 1972. In 1973, Iowa WEAL had forty-five members, and a membership drive in 1974 raised the membership numbers to over seventy. By 1976, however, only twenty-two members remained in the organization. Too small to be a viable political force, Iowa WEAL dwindled away, while larger feminist organizations, notably the Iowa Women's Political Caucus and Iowa NOW, picked up its former members.
From the description of Records of the Women's Equity Action League, Iowa Division, 1972-1977. (University of Iowa Libraries). WorldCat record id: 233136200
