Florida National Organization for Women

The Florida National Organization for Women, or Florida NOW, is a state chapter of the National Organization for Women, which was founded in 1966 and is the largest organization of female activists in the United States. Created as an organization that promoted equality for all women, it has supported the elimination of all discrimination in society. The Florida NOW chapter was established by NOW in 1973 in order to coordinate the activities of local NOW chapters in the state, to promote the foundation of new chapters, and to increase membership. Florida NOW commits itself to the affirmation of equal rights for women, the elimination of all forms of racism and sex discrimination, the recognition of gay and lesbian rights, the respect of abortion and reproductive rights, and the fulfillment of economic equality for women.

At least as early as 1972 there was a legislative coordinator in Florida, perhaps reporting to and funded by National NOW. In the latter part of 1972, Andrea Westmoreland of Deland stated that she had been appointed by NOW Regional Director Judy Lightfoot as coordinator for Florida, apparently with the assignment of organizing a statewide group. (Cf. Legislative Coordinator Correspondence, Kwea, 1971-1973). Details of the organizing process are vague, but within a year, an organized group with bylaws, elected officers, council meetings and an annual conference was in place. Karen Coolman was the first coordinator, and Gwen Cherry, the chairone.

Florida NOW was initially headed by an elected chairone. In 1974 this position was replaced by a State Coordinator and by a president in 1979. The elected state officers constitute an executive committee consisting of President, Vice-President, Legislative Director, Treasurer, Administrative Secretary, and Membership Director. The Florida NOW president presides at the state conference and at meetings of the state council and is responsible for all the official oral and written communication of Florida NOW. The president is also the official contact person between local chapters and regional and national officers of NOW. The president is also in charge of maintaining records of the status of chapters and members in the state. State officers, at-large delegates to the council, and at-large delegates to the national conference are elected at annual state conferences. State council meetings are held between conferences. State officers and one delegate from each local chapter attend these meetings to discuss planning for the state conference and other administrative issues.

The legislative coordinator was a principal officer in the organization as the director of the legislative office. The legislative office hired volunteer and paid staff and lobbyists and maintained a physical office in Tallahassee. This office appears to have been one of the most visible aspects of Florida NOW, possibly even more so than the State Coordinator or President. Although the coordinator was elected by the membership and was an officer of Florida NOW, the position itself and the Legislative Office appear to have been largely independent, releasing statements and taking actions on it own, and working directly with the local chapters and with National NOW.

Local chapters are chartered by National NOW, not by Florida NOW, and so are not directly subordinate to the state organization. Some of the local chapters are older than Florida NOW. Chapters in the process of organizing are called convening chapters until they are fully chartered. Many convening chapters were never chartered, and chartered chapters sometimes became inactive, or reorganized.

For further information, refer to the Florida NOW ( www.flnow.org ) and NOW ( www.now.org ) websites.

From the guide to the Records of the Florida National Organization for Women, 1971-2003, (Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida)