The purpose of the conference was to ask women directly what the government could do to create a more just society for women. The event was considered an opportunity for both feminists and anti-feminists to make their views known.
1977: Congress sponsors International Women’s Year Conference
February 18, 1977: Lawsuit brought against state officials to unseal Sovereignty Commission files
The ACLU of Mississippi, Delta Ministry, Owen Brooks, and Ken Lawrence sued for access to the files.
March 2, 1977: Mississippi Senate votes 35-9 to seal files of Sovereignty Commission until July 1, 2027
Elbert Hilliard, MDAH director, seals Sovereignty Commission files, March 1977
The bill also stipulated that the Sovereignty Commission records be sent to the Department of Archives and History. The House vote was 110-7. Governor Finch signed the bill into law on March 4, 1977.
Link to the catalog