Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: The District of Columbia celebrates April 16 as Emancipation Day. On that day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, which ended slavery in Washington, D.C., freed about 3,100 slaves in the District of Columbia, reimbursed those who had legally owned them
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: By voting to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, the Illinois Senate has recognized what women everywhere know to be true. We still need the ERA. In fact, we need it more than ever. It’s unconscionable that the U.S. Constitution fails to guarantee equal rights for everyone, regardless of
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: NRA TV has a new video out attacking the American Federation of Teachers and its president, Randi Weingarten. Their slanderous, offensive language doesn’t bear repeating, but it reminds us how important it is to stand up to the NRA and, as some brave young people have recently reminded
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: April 10 is Equal Pay Day—marking the number of extra days into 2018 the average woman has to work to earn as much as her male counterpart did in 2017. No one who cares about economic justice and the rights of women is celebrating this occasion. Although Congress
Statement of NOW President Toni Van Pelt: Fifty years after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his legacy endures in the daily work of countless movements, organizations and organized protests. We in the women’s movement, like so many others, draw inspiration from Dr. King’s example of peaceful protest, passionate advocacy and positive solutions.
Statement of NOW President Toni Van Pelt: When the House voted on the recent omnibus spending bill, lawmakers included language to support survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination. But when it got to the House, Mitch McConnell said, “never mind,” and removed provisions that would have finally brought accountability and transparency to Congress’ sexual harassment
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: The Washington Post is reporting that the Humane Society of the United States is resisting making broader changes in the wake of the resignation of CEO Wayne Pacelle, who’s been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. After a law firm was hired to investigate the claims, the
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt Welcoming the March For Our Lives: The National Organization for Women welcomes the students from Parkland, Florida–and around the country–who are coming to Washington, DC for the March For Our Lives. NOW applauds your focus on grassroots activism, voter registration and getting out the vote to elect lawmakers
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments today in the case of National Institute of Family Life Advocates v. Becerra, a challenge to the California FACT Act, a commonsense law that provides women and their families with access to full and accurate information about their reproductive healthcare options.
Statement of NOW President Toni Van Pelt on the Death of Rep. Louise Slaughter: NOW deeply mourns the passing of Rep. Louise Slaughter. Louise Slaughter made her mark on history, and women everywhere are living better, safer lives because of her vision and leadership. As one of the longest-serving women in the House of Representatives,
