Women's Equality Week Program: History of the Equal Pay Act

Kansas City (MO)…On Tuesday, August 21 at 6:30 p.m., the National Archives will host, in partnership with the American Association of University Women-KC Branch, a panel discussion titled A Look Back: The History of the Equal Pay Act of 1963. A free light reception will precede the program at 6:00 p.m.

The program will include a re-enactment of an oral history interview between historian Shirley Blum Tanzer and Oregon Representative Edith Green in 1977 based upon research published in Former Members of Congress, Inc. Green represented Oregon in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1955-1974 and was an advocate for the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title IX. Following the re-enactment, AAUW will facilitate a panel discussion with women describing their own personal experiences in the fight for equal pay. The panel will be moderated by Patricia Cahill; the re-enactment actors are Jane McClain (Tanzer) and Patricia Cahill (Green).

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was filed as a labor law amending the Fair Labor Standards Act, aimed at eliminating wage disparity based upon sex. President John F. Kennedy signed it into law on June 10, 1963. By passing the bill, Congress noted five key aspects around sex discrimination and stated that it: depresses wages and living standards for employees necessary for their health and efficiency; prevents the maximum utilization of the available labor resources; tends to cause labor disputes, thereby burdening, affecting, and obstructing commerce; burdens commerce and the free flow of goods in commerce; and constitutes an unfair method of competition.

Requests for ADA accommodations must be submitted five business days prior to events. Reservations are requested for this free program. This program is presented in partnership with American Association of University Women – KC Branch and the Women’s Equality Week Coalition.

The National Archives at Kansas City is home to historical records dating from the 1820s to the 1990s created or received by Federal agencies in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. For more information, call 816-268-8000 or visit www.archives.gov/kansas-city/.    

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