Ethnic Heritage Studies Act of 1972 – now gave what one sponsor of the measure called “official recognition to ethnicity as a positive constructive force in our society today”
Mexican Americans – César Chávez – organized the poorly paid grape pickers and lettuce workers in California into the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA)
national boycott of grapes – led to a series of hard-fought victories over the growers
5-year struggle resulted in a union victory – but at an enormous cost
attacked the prevailing view that women were completely contented with their housekeeping and child-rearing tasks, claiming that housewives had no self-esteem and no sense of identity
1964 – Civil Rights Act – helped women attack economic inequality head-on by making it illegal to discriminate in employment on the basis of sex
filed suit for equal wages, demanded that companies provide day care for their infants and preschool children, and entered politics to lobby against laws that – in the guise of protection of a weaker sex – were unfair to women
advocates began to attack laws banning abortion and waged a campaign to toughen the enforcement of rape laws
National Organization for Women (NOW) – founded by Betty Friedan in 1966 – challenged by those with more extreme views
many women were repelled by the harsh rhetoric of the extremists and expressed satisfaction with their lives
most women supported the effort to achieve equal status with men
1972 – Congress responded by voting to send the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) – to the state legislatures for ratification