The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was introduced in the U. S. Congress for the first time in 1923 and has prompted conversations about the meaning of equality for women and men ever since. With the rise of the women's movement in the 1960s, the ERA garnered increasing support, was reintroduced to Congress in 1972, and was submitted to the state legislatures for ratification. Only 31 states had ratified the amendment when the 1979 deadline arrived, so President Carter signed a three-year extension. Many women across the country staged demonstrations in support of the ERA, however no additional states ratified the ERA during the extension. As of 2020 just 38 states have ratified the ERA, although 24 states have adopted constitutions or constitutional amendments providing that equal rights under the law shall not be denied because of sex.

This poster advertises a march and rally in support of the ERA, held in Seattle on August 23, 1980. The march began at the Federal Courthouse, continued through downtown, and ended with a rally at Freeway Park, where speakers from the community called for action on the ERA. The popular folk duo Reilly & Maloney, made up of Ginny Reilly and David Maloney, also performed at the event. The poster encourages particpants to wear white to the march, in honor of early suffragists.

Caption information source: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/equal-rights-amendment-explained