The National Organization for Women, founded in 1966 by Betty Friedan, Pauli Murray, and Aileen Hernandez serves as a anti-discriminatory foundation for women and a connection with like-minded women to take action as a group. Their mission statement at the time of their founding read: “The purpose of NOW is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men” (Friedan, 1966, par. 2). To be in truly equal partnership with men, these women first identified the problems at their source in the economy. Help-wanted ads, specifically in The New York Times, were distinguished separately by sex. The members of NOW in New York led their very first picket in August of 1967 to protest The New York Times and their segregation in job advertisements. (NOW, 2020, par. 14). Gender discrimination reguarding employment was banned by the 1964 Civil Rights Act in title VII. These women found a community to stand up against their oppression and took action for their rightful opportunities. 

Friedan, B. (1966). Statement of purpose. National Organization for Women. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://now.org/about/history/statement-of-purpose/. 

History of marches and mass actions. National Organization for Women. (2021). Retrieved November 16, 2021, from https://now.org/about/history/history-of-marches-and-mass-actions/.