Documenting the American South Logo
Excerpt from Oral History Interview with Kathrine Robinson Everett, January 21, 1986. Interview C-0006. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) See Entire Interview >>

Reasons for the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment in North Carolina

Everett remembers the Equal Rights Amendment's near-ratification in North Carolina. She attributes its failure to two sources: the "antics" of its supporters and the fears of some women that support for the amendment would anger the men in their lives.

Citing this Excerpt

Oral History Interview with Kathrine Robinson Everett, January 21, 1986. Interview C-0006. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Full Text of the Excerpt

PAMELA DEAN:
ERA came up three times in North Carolina and was apparently narrowly defeated each time.
KATHRINE ROBINSON EVERETT:
It came so close, so close it is tantalizing, isn't it? And you felt like it was going to make it. I still think it is coming. I think it is inevitable and I think that there is no reason for it not to come. And really I feel that some of the antics that the women have done have not helped it. Maybe they have given people some excuse for not being for it.
PAMELA DEAN:
For instance?
KATHRINE ROBINSON EVERETT:
For instance, well you know some of the antics that they have done. They have really gone out to try and attract attention. Well, I think you could get attention in more ways than some of the ways that have been used.
PAMELA DEAN:
You are an experienced politician. Do you have any suggestions about what could have been done differently in those campaigns that you think might have made a difference?
KATHRINE ROBINSON EVERETT:
Well, hindsight is almost better so I don't think I should. I think that probably the party realizes that maybe we made mistakes while pushing it. But I still am very confident that it is going to come.
PAMELA DEAN:
Why didn't it pass?
KATHRINE ROBINSON EVERETT:
I think the women have got to work for it. I really feel like that we maybe have not been quite as diligent as we might in general because so many people feel that they are going to make their husbands mad or lose some privilege that they are not pushing it. I believe that the husbands are going to realize, too, that it is a good thing when they get it. Hopefully. We have made some progress. When we think about a woman justice of the U.S. Supreme Court who is doing a good job, and women running for vice-president of the United States. I think it is not going to be too long.
PAMELA DEAN:
I think you are right.
KATHRINE ROBINSON EVERETT:
And women are proving excellent teachers, lawyers, doctors, scientists, and doing wonderful research. I think they are making a good record, for the most part.