National Women's Political Caucus
The National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) is a small national multi-partisan grassroots organization in the United States dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting women who seek elected and appointed offices.[1]
History
NWPC was founded in July of 1971 to increase the number of women in all aspects of political life, as elected and appointed officials, as judges in state and federal courts, and as delegates to national conventions. In July 1971, 320 women from all over the United States met in Washington, D.C. The group included elected women officials, feminists, community activists, Democrats, Republicans, radicals, union women, homemakers, students, women of color, and lesbians. The participants elected a national policy council, initially co-chaired by former Democratic Congresswoman Bella Abzug, an NWPC initiator, and Republican Virginia Allen, former chair of President Nixon's Task Force on Women's Rights and Responsibilities. Gloria Steinem joined Bella Abzug, Mildred McWilliams Jeffrey, Shirley Chisholm, all from New York and Betty Friedan to officially form the National Women's Political Caucus, encouraging women's participation in the 1972 election.
The NWPC held its first convention in Houston from February 9 to 11, 1973.[2] The NWPC created a Democratic Task Force in 1974 and a Republican Task force in 1975.[3]
From 2004 to present, National Women's Political Caucus has worked to stop the confirmation of Justices Roberts and Alito to the Supreme Court. Although the Senate confirmed Alito, Alito received fewer votes than his anti-choice colleague Justice Roberts. Currently, the Caucus hopes to gain momentum to finally pass the Equal Rights Amendment. The NWPC was instrumental in persuading the Democratic Party to support the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade.[3]
Leadership
The President of NWPC is Donna Lent. The Vice President of Political Planning is Paula Willmarth.
Activities
The NWPC organizes campaign workshops across the country to teach the nuts and bolts of running a successful candidacy at all levels of government. The Caucus Political Planning Committee vets women candidates for endorsement and the political action committee raises money to support endorsed candidates with campaign contributions. The Caucus also offers workshops on political appointments and collaborates with other women’s political organizations to promote good women candidates for gubernatorial and presidential appointments to key posts within the government.[4]
The NWPC has state and local caucuses in communities across the country to help identify candidates, needs and issues specific to their state or county. State caucuses currently include Alabama, California, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington. [5]
References
- ↑ About National Women's Political Caucus
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External links
- Official NWPC site with list of state and local caucuses
- Audiotape collection of the National Women's Political Caucus (U.S.), 1977-2000. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.
- Videotape and motion picture collection of the National Women's Political Caucus (U.S.), 1981-2003. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.
