A look at 1977’s National Women's Conference, an event that revolutionized the women’s movement

Twenty thousand people from across the U.S. gathered in Houston, Texas on a historic weekend in 1977 for the first federally funded National Women’s Conference, aiming to end discrimination against women and promote their equal rights. In the crowd were women of all ages, ethnicities and political backgrounds, including three first ladies, Barbara Jordan, Bella Abzug, Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Eleanor Smeal, Ann Richards, and Coretta Scott King. After four days of feverish arguments and all-night caucuses, with the attention of protesters and the world’s media upon them, the women hammered out a plan of action, ending the conference ready to take on the world. SISTERS OF ‘77 is a fascinating look at that pivotal event that not only changed the lives of the women who attended, but the lives of Americans everywhere. Told through archival footage and modern-day interviews with many who attended, the film offers a window into not only U.S. history, but also the nation’s future.

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Running Time: 60 min
plus commercial breaks

Related: History, Politics, Women's Issues, ITVS, PBS

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Twenty thousand people from across the U.S. gathered in Houston, Texas on a historic weekend in 1977 for the first federally funded National Women’s Conference, aiming to end discrimination against women and promote their equal rights. In the crowd were women of all ages, ethnicities and political backgrounds, including three first ladies, Barbara Jordan, Bella Abzug, Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Eleanor Smeal, Ann Richards, and Coretta Scott King. After four days of feverish arguments and all-night caucuses, with the attention of protesters and the world’s media upon them, the women hammered out a plan of action, ending the conference ready to take on the world. SISTERS OF ‘77 is a fascinating look at that pivotal event that not only changed the lives of the women who attended, but the lives of Americans everywhere. Told through archival footage and modern-day interviews with many who attended, the film offers a window into not only U.S. history, but also the nation’s future.

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