Letter from Phyllis Schlafly to John Ashcroft
3/28/1978
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Phyllis Schlafly, of STOP ERA, wrote this letter to Missouri Attorney General John Ashcroft, in support of his lawsuit against the National Organization for Women (NOW).
NOW and ERAmerica had organized an Economic Boycott Campaign to promote ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). ERAmerica was a nationwide coalition of civic, labor, religious, and women’s organizations that came together in the mid-1970s to help ratify ERA. The campaign asked organizations to refrain from holding conventions in any of the states that had not ratified ERA.
This letter was presented as an exhibit in the district court case State of Missouri v. National Organization for Women, Inc. (NOW). The case was filed in U.S. District Court in 1978 by John Ashcroft, then Attorney General of Missouri. Ashcroft produced a 10-page complaint against NOW and ERAmerica, that alleged conspiracy, along with violations of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act (outlawing monopoly business practices) and the Clayton Act (prohibition of anti-competitive mergers, pricing, and unethical corporate behavior).
Many states were hit hard with cancelled conventions and faced economic challenges. Some states, like Missouri, faced a double-down effort as its two major cities, Kansas City and St. Louis, were popular large convention sites at the time.
An extensive list of organizations that signed onto the Boycott included: American Association of University Women, American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Government Employees, American Jewish Committee, American Library Association, Communication Workers of America, Latin American Studies Association, League of Women Voters, National Council for Social Studies, National Education Association, Parents Without Partners, Soroptomist International, United Auto Workers, and the Young Women’s Christian Association.
Organized opposition to ERA was also quite effective. The STOP ERA Campaign was launched and led by St. Louis native Phyllis Schlafly, along with groups like the National Council of Catholic Women. Even the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) opposed ERA until the early 1970s. The anti-ERA campaign eventually paralyzed passage of the amendment in the late 1970s.
According to exhibit documents in State of Missouri v. National Organization for Women, estimated revenues lost in major cities included: $12 million in Atlanta; $21 million in Chicago; $6 million in Miami; and $13 million in New Orleans (the equivalent of over $200 million today with inflation).
In 1979, U.S. District Court Judge Elmo Hunter found in favor of the defense (NOW and ERAmerica). That decision was appealed by the Missouri Attorney General’s office. The Appeals Court upheld the lower court’s findings and dismissed the case in March 1980. Ashcroft then sought an opportunity before the U.S. Supreme Court by asking for a review; his request was denied.
At the same time as the Missouri case, Ashcroft and his team met with other states from the Economic Boycott list to encourage them to file similar lawsuits.
NOW and ERAmerica had organized an Economic Boycott Campaign to promote ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). ERAmerica was a nationwide coalition of civic, labor, religious, and women’s organizations that came together in the mid-1970s to help ratify ERA. The campaign asked organizations to refrain from holding conventions in any of the states that had not ratified ERA.
This letter was presented as an exhibit in the district court case State of Missouri v. National Organization for Women, Inc. (NOW). The case was filed in U.S. District Court in 1978 by John Ashcroft, then Attorney General of Missouri. Ashcroft produced a 10-page complaint against NOW and ERAmerica, that alleged conspiracy, along with violations of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act (outlawing monopoly business practices) and the Clayton Act (prohibition of anti-competitive mergers, pricing, and unethical corporate behavior).
Many states were hit hard with cancelled conventions and faced economic challenges. Some states, like Missouri, faced a double-down effort as its two major cities, Kansas City and St. Louis, were popular large convention sites at the time.
An extensive list of organizations that signed onto the Boycott included: American Association of University Women, American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Government Employees, American Jewish Committee, American Library Association, Communication Workers of America, Latin American Studies Association, League of Women Voters, National Council for Social Studies, National Education Association, Parents Without Partners, Soroptomist International, United Auto Workers, and the Young Women’s Christian Association.
Organized opposition to ERA was also quite effective. The STOP ERA Campaign was launched and led by St. Louis native Phyllis Schlafly, along with groups like the National Council of Catholic Women. Even the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) opposed ERA until the early 1970s. The anti-ERA campaign eventually paralyzed passage of the amendment in the late 1970s.
According to exhibit documents in State of Missouri v. National Organization for Women, estimated revenues lost in major cities included: $12 million in Atlanta; $21 million in Chicago; $6 million in Miami; and $13 million in New Orleans (the equivalent of over $200 million today with inflation).
In 1979, U.S. District Court Judge Elmo Hunter found in favor of the defense (NOW and ERAmerica). That decision was appealed by the Missouri Attorney General’s office. The Appeals Court upheld the lower court’s findings and dismissed the case in March 1980. Ashcroft then sought an opportunity before the U.S. Supreme Court by asking for a review; his request was denied.
At the same time as the Missouri case, Ashcroft and his team met with other states from the Economic Boycott list to encourage them to file similar lawsuits.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
Full Citation: Letter from Phyllis Schlafly to John Ashcroft; 3/28/1978; Case No. 78-4053CV; State of Missouri v. National Organization for Women, Inc.; Civil Case Files, 1938 - 1991; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at Kansas City, Kansas City, MO. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/schlafly-ashcroft, April 24, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.