---
title: "Women's Strike for Equality | US History"
description: "Women's Strike for Equality was a 1970 feminist protest for equal pay, childcare, and reproductive rights in U.S. History since 1865."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/united-states-history-since-1865/key-terms/womens-strike-for-equality"
type: "key-term"
subject: "US History – 1865 to Present"
unit: "Unit 9"
---

# Women's Strike for Equality | US History

## Definition

The women's strike for equality was a 1970 feminist protest demanding equal pay, childcare, and reproductive freedom. In US History since 1865, it marks a major second-wave feminist action.

## What It Is

The women's strike for equality was a nationwide feminist protest held on August 26, 1970, to show that women still faced discrimination even after winning the vote in 1920. In US History since 1865, it is one of the clearest examples of second-wave feminism moving from discussion into public action.

The date mattered. Feminists chose the 50th anniversary of women's suffrage to make a simple point: voting rights did not end gender inequality. Women were still paid less than men, had fewer job opportunities, and carried most of the burden for childcare with little support from employers or the government.

The protest was organized by groups including the National Organization for Women, and it mixed marches, rallies, and literature distribution. That combination tells you a lot about the movement. Activists were not only trying to get attention in the streets, they were also trying to shape public opinion and push policy debates about equal pay, reproductive freedom, and access to childcare.

The biggest rally took place in Manhattan, and more than 20,000 women joined actions across major cities. That scale made the event hard to ignore. It showed that feminism was not a small, fringe idea, but a national movement with broad support and clear demands.

For this course, the strike fits into the wider story of postwar reform movements. Like civil rights activism, it used protest to challenge unequal power structures and to force Americans to confront gaps between national ideals and everyday reality. The strike also connects women’s rights to other social justice movements of the 1960s and 1970s, where organizers often used public demonstrations, media coverage, and legal reform together.

## Why It Matters

The women's strike for equality helps explain how the women's rights movement changed after the 1960s. Earlier reforms won the right to vote, but this protest shows that activists were now targeting structural inequality in work, family life, and politics. That shift is a big theme in US History since 1865, especially when you compare legal rights on paper with conditions in daily life.

It also gives you a concrete example of second-wave feminism. Instead of focusing only on one issue, the movement connected equal pay, childcare, reproductive rights, and access to jobs. That makes the strike a useful term for essays or short answers about how reform movements broadened during the late twentieth century.

The event also connects to policy change. When you see this term, you can trace how protest pressure helped create more public discussion about gender equality and influenced later legislation and court battles. It is a good reminder that mass movements often work by changing what seems normal, not just by passing a single law.

## Connections

### National Organization for Women (NOW)

NOW was one of the main groups behind the strike, so this term helps you see the organizing side of second-wave feminism. The protest did not happen on its own. It came from organized activists who wanted to turn complaints about discrimination into a public, national campaign for change.

### Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

The strike and the ERA come from the same push for legal equality between men and women. If the strike is the public protest, the ERA is the constitutional strategy. Together they show how feminists worked both in the streets and through the political system to challenge unequal treatment.

### Title IX

Title IX is a later policy example of the kinds of demands highlighted by the strike, especially access and equal opportunity. The protest drew attention to discrimination in education and work, and Title IX shows how those concerns became part of broader legal reform in the 1970s.

### [Equal Pay Act](/united-states-history-since-1865/key-terms/equal-pay-act)

The Equal Pay Act connects directly to one of the strike’s main complaints, wage discrimination. If you are tracing the history of women demanding economic equality, this term helps show the gap between formal promises and actual pay differences that activists were still fighting in 1970.

## On the AP Exam

A short-answer question might give you a 1970 protest poster or a description of women marching and ask you to identify the movement’s goals. You would connect the women's strike for equality to second-wave feminism, then name its demands, especially equal pay, childcare, and reproductive rights. In an essay, you could use it as evidence that women’s rights activism expanded beyond suffrage into workplace and social equality.

If you get a timeline prompt, place it in the early 1970s after the major civil rights era, when other rights movements were demanding broader inclusion. If you see a document-based question or class discussion, use the strike to show how activists used public demonstrations to pressure lawmakers and shape public opinion.

## women's strike for equality vs women's suffrage

Women's suffrage was the fight for the right to vote, won nationally in 1920. The women's strike for equality happened 50 years later and focused on the unequal conditions women still faced after gaining the vote. One is about political citizenship, the other is about social and economic equality.

## Key Takeaways

- The women's strike for equality was a 1970 feminist protest that marked the 50th anniversary of women's suffrage.
- It pushed for equal pay, better childcare support, reproductive freedom, and more job opportunities for women.
- The strike is a major example of second-wave feminism in US History since 1865.
- Its size and media attention showed that gender equality had become a national issue, not just a private complaint.
- You can use it to connect protest movements to later reforms and to show the difference between voting rights and full equality.

## FAQs

### What is women's strike for equality in US History?

The women's strike for equality was a 1970 feminist protest organized to demand equal rights for women in work, family life, and public policy. It is best known for highlighting wage discrimination, childcare needs, and reproductive freedom. In US History since 1865, it stands out as a major second-wave feminist action.

### Was the women's strike for equality about suffrage?

Not exactly. It was timed to honor the 50th anniversary of women's suffrage, but the point was that the vote had not solved inequality. The strike focused on broader issues like unequal pay, limited job access, and lack of support for childcare.

### Who organized the women's strike for equality?

The protest was organized by feminist groups including the National Organization for Women, or NOW. That matters because it shows the event was part of a coordinated movement, not just a one-day march. The organizers used rallies, protests, and printed materials to spread their message.

### How do I use the women's strike for equality in an essay?

Use it as evidence that the women's rights movement in the 1970s moved beyond voting rights and into economic and social equality. It works well in paragraphs about second-wave feminism, protest tactics, or the way reform movements changed public debate. If needed, compare it with other rights movements of the era.

## Related Study Guides

- [9.4 Other Rights Movements (Women, Latinos, Native Americans)](/united-states-history-since-1865/unit-9/rights-movements-women-latinos-native-americans/study-guide/nOIj1WIwEXYt2aQX)

## About This Document

Canonical Fiveable pages are available as Markdown at the same path plus `.md`.

- [llms.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms.txt): index of Fiveable's sections and URL patterns
- [llms-full.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms-full.txt): complete subject and unit listing
- [MCP server](https://fiveable.me/mcp): call Fiveable as tools instead of fetching pages (`https://fiveable.me/api/mcp`)
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