Eleanor Smeal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eleanor Smeal
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Smeal in 2009
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| Born |
Eleanor Marie Cutri
July 30, 1939 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Florida Duke University |
| Known for | Cofounder of the Feminist Majority Foundation Twice served as president of the National Organization for Women |
Eleanor Marie Smeal (born July 30, 1939) is an American activist who works for women's rights. She helped start the Feminist Majority Foundation in 1987 and is its president. She also led the National Organization for Women (NOW) three times. Eleanor Smeal is known for organizing people, speaking up for causes, and understanding politics.
She has often appeared on TV shows like Good Morning America and The Today Show. She has also spoken on the radio and given speeches to Congress. Smeal has organized many events and talks about fairness and human rights for people everywhere.
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Early Life and Education
Eleanor Smeal was born on July 30, 1939, in Ashtabula, Ohio. Her family came from Italy. Her father moved to America from Italy and became an insurance salesman. Eleanor was the youngest of four children and the only girl. Her mother always told her she could do anything her brothers could.
After finishing high school in 1957, Smeal went to Duke University. At that time, Duke University did not allow all races to attend together. Also, only about 25% of the students were women.
Smeal helped fight for equal rights at Duke. She graduated in 1961 with high honors. She also earned a master's degree in political science from the University of Florida. Since 2001, Smeal has also been the publisher of Ms. magazine. The Feminist Majority Foundation owns and publishes this magazine.
Personal Life and Activism
While at Duke University, Eleanor met Charles Smeal. They got married on April 27, 1963. Eleanor and Charles had two children and lived near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Eleanor Smeal became more interested in women's rights in the late 1960s. She noticed there were not enough day-care centers for her young child. She also realized that wives and mothers did not have disability insurance. These issues made her want to learn more about women's rights.
In 1968, Smeal joined the board of the local League of Women Voters. Two years later, she and her husband joined the National Organization for Women (NOW). Because it was hard to find childcare, she started a day nursery school. She was the leader of this school. Newspapers in the 1970s called her the first housewife to lead NOW.
Leading the National Organization for Women
Eleanor Smeal joined NOW in 1970. She served as its president from 1977 to 1982 and again from 1985 to 1987. During her time as president, she led important marches and campaigns.
First Term as President (1977-1979)
Eleanor Smeal was first chosen as NOW's president in 1977. At that time, NOW was working hard to get the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) passed. The ERA is a proposed change to the U.S. Constitution that would guarantee equal rights for all Americans regardless of sex.
When the deadline for the ERA was approaching, Smeal convinced a member of Congress, Elizabeth Holtzman, to propose extending the deadline. Smeal also helped organize the 1978 March for ERA. This march brought over 100,000 people to Washington, D.C. Because of these efforts, Congress voted to extend the ERA deadline to June 30, 1982.
Second Term as President (1979-1982)
Smeal was re-elected as NOW's president in 1979. In her second term, she worked to make Social Security fairer for women. She supported rights for lesbian and gay people. Smeal helped organize the 1979 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
Smeal was also the first person to use the term "gender gap." She used it to describe how men and women vote differently in elections. Even with all the work by NOW, the ERA did not pass by the 1982 deadline. It was three states short of being ratified.
By the end of her second term, NOW had grown to 220,000 members. Its yearly budget was $13 million.
Third Term as President (1985-1987)
Smeal ran for president of NOW a third time in 1985. She wanted NOW to be more active and speak out more on different issues. These issues included the role of women in the church. Smeal felt that the organization had lost some focus and members.
In July 1985, Smeal won the election. After being elected for the third time, Smeal said she would continue to work on reproductive rights. She also planned a march for reproductive rights for the next year. This march happened in 1986 and brought over 150,000 people to Washington and Los Angeles. In 1987, Smeal also founded the Feminist Majority Foundation.
Fighting for the Equal Rights Amendment
Eleanor Smeal has supported the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) for a very long time. She has campaigned for it since the 1970s, for over fifty years. In January 2022, she led a rally in front of the White House. This was two years after Virginia became the 38th state to approve the Amendment in January 2020. Smeal continues to work hard for the ERA to become law.
Recognition and Achievements
Eleanor Smeal has received many honors for her work:
- In 1979, she was featured on a Supersisters trading card.
- Also in 1979, Time magazine named her one of "50 Faces for America's Future."
- In 1983, the World Almanac chose Smeal as one of the most important women in the United States.
- In 2010, she gave the graduation speech at Rutgers University. She also received an honorary doctorate degree.
- In 2015, Smeal was added to the National Women's Hall of Fame.
- U.S. News & World Report called her the fourth most influential lobbyist in Washington.
- In January 2025, President Joe Biden announced that Smeal would receive the Presidential Citizens Medal.
Writing and Ideas
In 1980, Eleanor Smeal created the term "gender gap." This term describes how men and women often vote differently in politics. This term is now used very often. Her 1984 book, How and Why Women Will Elect the Next President, correctly showed this gender gap in politics.
She also wrote a piece called "The Art of Building Feminist Institutions to Last." This was included in the 2003 book Sisterhood Is Forever: The Women's Anthology for a New Millennium.
Images for kids
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Smeal in 2009
See also
In Spanish: Eleanor Smeal para niños
