The South Carolina conference “The South Carolina Woman: Heritage to Horizons” preceded the national conference by several months and took place in Columbia, South Carolina, June 10 & 11, 1977. (State conferences occurred around the country in the summer prior to the National Women’s Conference in Houston in November of that same year.)
South Carolina was one of only three known state conferences that recorded interviews with participants (the other two being New York and Vermont). This state-level conference collection contains approximately 150 interviews, gathering diverse voices from around the state to provide workshops, identify women’s concerns, and elect delegates to the National Women’s Conference.
Ethel Allen |
Originally from Philadelphia, PA Physician Former International Women’s Year Commissioner |
Merry Bateman |
Columbia, SC 23 years old and support of women’s rights issues |
George Blackburn |
Retired teacher Furman University Class of 1922 Pro-ERA |
Catherine Brisbon |
Bishopville, SC Worked with kindergartners Positive assessment of IWY |
Malissa Burnette |
Columbia, SC Lawyer President of Columbia chapter of NOW Second congressional district coordinator for ERA |
Dwight Cargile |
West Columbia, SC Interested in women’s career options and working against discrimination |
Sarah Cargile |
James Island, SC Mother of Nine Attended conference with son and eldest daughter |
Septima P. Clark |
African-American woman Civil Rights activist Teacher |
Jim Clyburn |
Sumter, SC Head of SC Human Affairs Commission (in 1977) African-American U.S. Representative for SC’s 6th Congr. District (1993- ) |
Kathlyn (Kathy) E. Coleman |
Interested in women’s rights and creativity Drawn to the women’s movement after her divorce |
Betty Corns |
Mauldin, SC Reporter Interested in grassroots organizing |
Joanne Cox |
Columbia, SC Worked at Midlands Technical College Conference critique |
Christlee Daniels |
Licensed vocational nurse Freelance journalist Military spouse African-American |
Bernita DeGraffenreid |
Workplace discrimination and pay inequality Assess the women’s liberation movement |
A.L. Delaine |
Clarendon County, SC Retired teacher and social worker African-American; Civil rights activist Relative of Reverend Joseph DeLaine Allen University Class of 1923 |
Caroline Drakeford |
Columbia, South Carolina Traditional expectations of women’s work Hesitant to support the ERA, but believes in workplace fairness |
Edith Edwards |
Greenville, South Carolina A teacher and a widow Devout Christian Impact of humanism and Communism |
Vickie Eslinger |
Columbia, South Carolina Lawyer and women’s rights activist Workshop leader: women’s legal rights in the employment sector Attended University of South Carolina |
Leah Evans |
Bishopville, SC Encouraged to attend by the Department of Social Services |
Naomi Feingold |
California Student at University of California, Santa Cruz Interested in nursing and midwifery Called for reforms in women’s healthcare |
Dorothy McDuffy Fitzpatrick |
Columbia, SC African-American woman Leader of workshop on women, counseling, and mental health |
Don Fowler |
Columbia, SC (from Spartanburg) Chairman, South Carolina Democratic Party (in 1977) Political Science professor, University of South Carolina Chairman, Democratic National Committee (1995-1997) |
Dorothy Franklin |
McCormick, SC Activist in the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Movement NAACP member, African-American woman age 53 |
Carolyn Frederick |
Greenville, SC Pro-ERA legislative efforts Member of American Association of University Women |
Laura B. Frederick |
Organgeburg, SC Retired third-grade teacher Positive view of the conference |
Elaine Fremont |
Greenville, SC Reporter for Faith for the Family magazine Supporter of equal rights, but not the ERA |
Sara Friedman |
Columbia, SC Mental health and counseling professional Not affiliated with any women’s organizations |
Tanzella Gaither |
Rock Hill, SC 29-year-old graduate student Interested in economic change |
Jania Galvin |
Columbia, SC (from New York City) Active in the women’s movement, state campaigns, and the Carter presidential campaign |
Velma Garrett |
Saluda, SC Political activist and mother |
Alberta Glover |
Ridgeland, SC Senior citizen Discusses workplace discrimination |
Gail Ardelia Glover |
High school student Mother interviewed too International women’s issues and violence against women |
Ruth Glover |
Charleston, SC Member of League of Women Voters and the National Association of Women in Construction Interested in senior citizen workshop |
Sarah Gobel |
Charleston, SC Opposes internationalism and a “one world government” |
Eleanor Golar-Williams |
Columbia, SC African-American Professor of Social work, University of South Carolina Howard University Alumna |
Mary Jane Golden |
Kingstree, SC Nun Member of the Provisional League of Women Voters and the Women Religious in South Carolina |
Virginia S. Goosey |
EEOC officer at the Savannah River Plant Supporter of the women’s movement |
Wil Lou Gray |
Columbia, SC Age 94 Influential educator and founder of the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School Columbia College alumna |
Virginia Grose |
Vice President of South Carolina National Bank Advertising and public relations specialist Designed program materials for the conference |
Gary F. Hardee |
West Columbia, SC Small-business owner Believed IWY should not have a stance on the ERA |
Sharon Harper |
From Kalamazoo, Michigan Living in Greenville, SC Helps run a small family business |
Alec Harvey |
Clarendon County, SC Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from District 66 Discusses single motherhood |
Jessica Hatch |
Resident of Beaufort, SC (from NY and CA) Journalist, former teacher Military spouse |
Teresa Hicks |
Columbia, SC Supported women organizing Opposed the amendment |
Shirley Holcombe |
Charleston, SC Age 54 Anti-ERA and shares views on gay/lesbian rights Discusses women and the draft |
Joan B. Hopkins |
Campobello, SC Age 47 Interested in women’ rights broadly |
Dixie Horton |
Columbia, SC Age 30 Interested in the legal status of women and equal employment |
Zilla Hinton |
Charleston, SC Anti-ERA |
James E. Jackson |
Columbia, SC Equal Employment Opportunity Officer at Fort Jackson |
Mary Jenkins |
Beaufort, SC Small business owner Economic issues as relates to women |
Betty Jennings |
Allendale, SC Employed by Department of Social Services |
Jacqueline Johnson |
Greenville, SC Employed by Links Community Actions Discusses political and military career opportunities for women |
Maryneal Jones |
Greenville, SC Newspaper reporter, spouse is a minister Member of the SC State Conference Coordinating Committee |
Flossie June |
Sumter, SC Childcare worker Attended with two young sons |
Liz Zimmerman Keitt |
Orangeburg, SC 38 Purchasing agent at Claflin College |
Janie Kelly |
McCormick, SC Head Start employee African-American woman |
Angela (Cargile) Kennedy |
James Island, SC Concerned about representing young mothers |
Marguerite King |
Rock Hill, SC Active member of AARP Interested in women’s rights and the rights of retirees |
Penelope R. (Penny) King |
Spartanburg, SC Juvenile justice counselor From New York City, worked in feminist organizing there |
Mildred Knightner |
Columbia, SC African-American Director of the credit union at Benedict College |
Elizabeth Lashley |
Clemson, SC Public school teacher Member, American Association of University Women |
Quinton H. Lee |
Charleston, SC 30, African-American Worked as an equal opportunity specialist at a shipyard |
Rebecca A. (Becky) Lee |
Colleton County, SC Former journalist |
Nelda Leon |
Greenville, SC Coordinator for Greenville Feminist Theatre NOW member Educator |
Helen Lybrand |
Columbia, SC Interested in older women’s issues |
Lillian Mackey |
West Columbia, SC Former student at Dr. Wil Lou Gray’s Opportunity School Worked as a lunch supervisor Earned high school diploma in her 40s |
Sharon MacMillan |
Sumter, SC Experiences with sex discrimination Described conference as harmonious |
Frances Marshall |
Johnson, SC Department of Social Services employee |
Henry Martin |
Columbia, SC Age 44 State Farm Agent Member of Rosewood Baptist Church |
Lelia Bell Martin |
McCormick County, SC Age 61 African-American |
Dolores Melfi |
Somerville, SC Seasonal employee Interested in international issues |
Annie Mitchell |
Beaufort, SC Cosmetologist Interested in women in business and women’s legal rights |
Joanne Montague |
Greenville, SC Reporter Winthrop University alumna Pro-ERA |
Alice Montgomery |
Formerly a surgeon’s assistant Discusses workplace discrimination |
Bessie Moody |
Rock Hill, SC Leader of workshop on biases in education Supported women’s careers in science and engineering |
Nancy Moore |
Spartanburg, SC University teacher Member of the League of Women Voters and NOW Pro-ERA |
Jetty R. Mouzon |
Ridgeland, SC Age 58 Social Service Aid with the Department of Social Services Discusses working as a domestic servant for white families as a teenager |
Constance Ashton Myers |
Born in New York City, lived in South Carolina Age 51 Historian of American Trotskyists, the women’s suffrage movement, and feminism Principal investigator for the IWY Oral History Project Primarily discusses her experience with employment discrimination legal battles |
Marie Nelson |
Columbia, SC Member of NOW Pro-ERA |
Irene Neuffer |
Columbia, SC Age 57 Member, South Carolina Commission on the Status of Women |
Rene Neuffer |
Columbia, SC Age 22 |
Conyers Norwood |
Greenville, SC Attended to give presentation on contemporary South Carolinian women and art Docent at Greenville County Museum of Art |
Nancy Owen |
Charleston, SC Member of the International Women’s Commission Employed as an inventory management supply technician Union member |
Annette Pagels |
Greenville, SC Reporter Anti-ERA |
George Ann (Mrs. A.E.) Pennebaker |
Born in Indiana Age 61 President of Women for Constitutional Government Ball State University alumna |
John Perna |
Cayce, SC Age 29 Chemist Anti-ERA; Believes the government hinders human rights |
Ann Peteri |
Columbia, SC Age 38 Political science major at University of South Carolina NOW member; Pro-ERA |
Charlotte Pfeifer |
Pineville, NC Director of Infant Stimulation Project at Winthrop University Leader of childcare workshop |
Phil Pless |
Greenville, SC Bob Jones University graduate Teacher Anti-ERA |
Elaine Reed |
Darlington, SC Political campaign worker Pro-ERA Interested in divorced women’s rights |
Anne W. Rehm |
Camden, SC Age 58 Discusses special needs children Former member of the Kershaw County mental health board |
Chris Reynolds |
Rock Hill, SC Winthrop College instructor Recorder and note taker at conference |
Evelyn Richardson |
St. George, SC Employed with Berkley-Dorchester Economics Development Cooperation Mother of two Interested in divorced women’s rights |
Flora Riley |
Oakway, SC Homemaker Part-time graduate student at Clemson University Candidate for National Women’s Conference delegation |
Ellen Robertson |
Beaufort County, SC (Washington, D.C.) Nun and director, St. Mary Human Development Center Pro-ERA |
Cynthia Roddey |
Catawba, SC African-American & Winthrop University graduate Organizing for families |
Shirley Rowland |
Chairperson for the Greenville, SC chapter of NOW Personnel counselor Discusses job discrimination |
Evilyn Salamony |
Starr, SC Retired court reporter Discusses rape crisis centers, domestic violence, and child abuse |
Modjeska Monteith Simkins |
Columbia, SC Age 78; African-American Leader in public health reform and the Civil Rights Movement in South Carolina |
Nan Sharkey |
Sullivan’s Island, SC Pre-school teacher NOW member Coordinator of a Charleston-area media collective |
Liz Sole |
Simpsonville, SC State Coordinator for NOW Interested in childcare and child abuse issues |
Elaine Stafford |
Rock Hill, SC 56 years old |
Elisa Staley |
Orangeburg, SC High school student Aspiring child psychiatrist |
Rook Hoyt Sturgis |
Interested in workplace inequality, older women’s rights, and money management Became active in women’s movement after experiencing wage discrimination |
Mary Sutherland |
North Augusta, SC Age 23 Supports nontraditional parenting and families |
Suzanne Thomson |
Charleston, SC Member of NOW Pro-ERA Discusses opposition to the women’s movement in Charleston |
Judith Thompson |
Columbia, SC League of Women Voters, member |
Marie Toner |
Spartanburg, SC South Carolina IWY Coordinating Committee, member Active in Church Women United |
Gladys Swindler |
Columbia, SC Age 70 Public affairs chair for the South Carolina Federation of Women’s Clubs Supported women’s suffrage in early 1920s as a girl scout |
Jane Turner |
Spartanburg, SC Age 31 Textiles research technician Pro-ERA |
Jason Wages |
Blythewood, SC Teacher & part-time graduate student Interested in women’s history |
BJ Washington |
Columbia, SC Program supervisor, individual and family services, Richland County Dept of Social Services Discusses divorce and single parenting |
Sylvia Watts |
Columbia, SC Political science major at University of South Carolina 19-year-old African-American woman |
Betty Weaver |
Rock Hill, SC Writer and reporter Discusses how she became a writer |
Donald Welch |
Columbia, SC University of South Carolina staff member Interested in women’s studies |
Mary Wethington |
Homemaker and mother Secretary Believes ERA aims are socialistic |
Patricia Weel |
Charleston, SC Works as a counselor at a rape crisis center |
Lucille Whipper |
Charleston, SC Member of the SC IWY Coordinating Committee Interested in the legal rights of women |
Mary W. Whitlock |
Greenville, SC 87 years old Anti-ERA Discusses Christian beliefs |
Joy Wiggins |
Goose Creek, SC Senior at Bob Jones University Positive impression of the conference |
Kathleen Wilkerson |
McCormick, SC Age 49 Head Start volunteer Discusses her difficulties finding paid work to support her large family |
Gladys Williams |
Bamberg, SC Member of Sisterhood for Humanity Discusses continuing education and conference speakers |
Lucy Williamson |
Columbia, SC Teenage Program Director at the Columbia YWCA Interested in addressing sexual assault |
Zane Wilson |
Florence, SC Concerned about clashes between anti-ERA and pro-ERA groups |
Shelia Younginer |
Lexington, SC Screenwriter at Lexington Intermediate School Discusses discrimination in the workforce |