The National Organization for Women

Founded in 1966 by a group of 28 women, and later 21 other men and women, the National Organization for Women was and continues to be a revolutionary organization demanding the sociopolitical equality of women. Previously, President Kennedy's Commission on the Status of Women was one of the first movements initiated by the executive branch in favor of this equality. Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique also sparked an enormous shift in the mindsets of women who read her book. She inspired women to stand up for what they felt they deserved and eloquently described the exact anger and impatience that they were feeling due to their oppression. Following the failure of The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, NOW was especially revolutionary, making their message even louder. This activism took an especially high peak as the Equal Rights Amendment was ratified, requiring all people to be treated equally under the law. All in all, the National Organization for Women continues to prevail as the foremost organization advocating for gender equality, combatting the issues that existed in the 20th century and those which have been addressed in the 21st.