Description:
A chronological study of the Equal Rights Amendment fight and failure in the key state of Illinois. Pulling from hundreds of hours of recorded interviews at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and the University of Illinois Springfield, DePue gives readers a comprehensive, balanced view of both sides' experiences and arguments.
Review Quotes:
"If you want to know what happened to the ERA in the key state of Illinois, Mark DePue takes you inside the rooms where it happened. A fine contribution to scholarship."--Glenna Matthews, author of The Rise of Public Woman
"This powerful telling of the Equal Rights Amendment battle in Illinois and the nation records in the words of the participants an important history. It deserves to be read by every activist and student of politics."--Dick Simpson, coauthor of Corrupt Illinois and Chicago's Modern Mayors
"DePue's interviews with a range of figures ground this textured account of the ERA fight in a pivotal state, which offers lessons to scholars, policymakers, and activists alike. A valuable and original contribution to the ERA literature, Elusive Victory reveals the power of oral history to challenge scholars' neat categories and support new interpretations."--Katherine Turk, author of The Women of NOW: How Feminists Built an Organization That Transformed America and Equality on Trial: Gender and Rights in the Modern American Workplace
"Mark R. DePue's Elusive Victory captures the fierce battle on-ground and in the state legislature through extensive interviews with activists in this dramatic struggle. This book makes for good reading."--Donald T. Critchlow, author of Phyllis Schlafly and Grassroots Conservatism: A Woman's Crusade
"This book is an excellent recounting of the battle over approval of the ERA in Illinois, arguably the most pivotal state in the amendment's final rejection. The author also provides a cogent example of how oral history can be a vital method for telling the story from the perspective of the key players. Historically, this book provides one of the most significant roots of our nation's current polarization, and the beginnings of the culture wars in Illinois, one of the most important and interesting states in the clash of national politics."--John S. Jackson, visiting professor, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and author of The American Political Party System