1964 Republican National Convention
Scholarly Campaigns Against the E.R.A.
Barry Goldwater Brochure
Goldwater Nomination Instructions
Schlafy With Reagan

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Phyllis Schlafly Brief Bio edit

Phyllis Schlafly was a conservative feminist born on August 15, 1924 in St.Louis. A graduate from the Academy of the Sacred Heart, Schlafly pursued her college education at Washington University where she received a J.D. She also attended Harvard University's graduate school (Radcliffe College at the time), where she received a masters in Political Science. Phyllis Schlafly is most popularly known for her fight against the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), her influence in the pro-family movement that originated in the 1970s, and her self-published book, A Choice Not an Echo (1964). Overall, Schlafly's ideas were rooted in traditional values, and through her publishing of The Phyllis Schlafly Report in 1967, she was able to communicate her views to the rest of the nation.

"A Choice Not an Echo" (1964) edit

In 1964, Phyllis Schlafly self-published one of her most famous books, A Choice Not an Echo. This book was the first of Schlafly's 19 authored texts, and sold 3 million copies, granting her national attention as a conservative activist. Schlafly mainly published this book in support of Senator Barry Goldwater, who she hoped would be nominated by the Republican Party, and also to break the control of the "Eastern Establishment" over the republican party. The Eastern Establishment represents the group of universities and institutions that hold significant power and voice in the United States that is often believed to be too much for its size.

Lead edit

In 1964, Phyllis Schlafly self-published one of her most famous books, A Choice Not an Echo. This book was the first of Schlafly's 19 authored texts, and sold 3 million copies, granting her national attention as a conservative activist. Schlafly mainly published this book in support of Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, hoping to help him triumph in the California Primary, thus granting him the ability to be nominated for president. Schlafly’s secondary motivation behind the publishing of A Choice Not an Echo was to break control of the "Eastern Establishment" over the republican party. In other words, this book served as an exposition of the covert influence that “kingmakers” had on Republican primary nominations.

Phyllis Schlafly Brief Bio edit

Phyllis Schlafly was born on August 15, 1924 in St. Louis, Missouri. She grew up there, graduating as the valedictorian of her high school class at the Academy of the Sacred Heart. She married in 1949, and spent her days living in both Illinois and Missouri. She attended Washington University as a law student, and graduated from Harvard with a master’s in political science. In 2008, Washington University awarded her honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. She was the mother of 6 children, and was elected Illinois Mother of the Year in 1992; all six of her children were taught how to read before they began attending school. Her husband was John Fred Schlafly, an attorney in Illinois. Schlafly was a successful attorney, passing the bar in Illinois, Missouri, the District of Columbia, and even argued before the US Supreme Court. In addition, she served as a member of Commission on Bicentennial of US Constitution from 1985-1991, appointed by President Reagan. Schlafly also testified before more than 50 Congressional and State legislative committees on constitutional, national defense, and family issues. Schlafly is most well-know for her work in political activism. She was three times elected President of the Illinois Federation of Republican Women, 1960-64, and was elected First Vice President, National Federation of Republican Women (1964-1967). She was a candidate for Congress from Illinois in 1952 and in 1970, in two different districts. In addition, she was a prolific writer: she is the author of 27 books; a monthly newspaper called The Phyllis Schlafly Report, which ran for fifty years; she was also a columnist, appearing in 100 newspapers. She also was the leader of the pro family movement that began in 1972, campaigning against the ERA and radical feminists. She has been named one of the 100 most important women of the 20th century by Ladies’ Home Journal.

Historical Context edit

Phyllis’s book gives in-depth accounts of Kingmakers’ influence on republican nominations and national elections starting in the 1940s, and continuing all the way into the presidential race of 1964 in which Barry Goldwater was involved. As a republican party insider and political activist, Phyllis is able to give first hand accounts of kingmakers silencing grassroots, “true” republicans who threatened the party establishment. She begins with the 1940 election, in which the Republican establishment worked against Robert Taft, because his father, president William Howard Taft, played a major role in opposing the Federal Reserve. Taft lost the nomination to Wendell Willkie, a former democrat and socialist who Schlafly did not see as a “true republican”. In the 1952 primaries, Taft was on the rise again, and leading Eisenhower. Schlafly details how republican kingmakers again intervened, orchestrating rump meetings in key states and ultimately convincing democratic representatives to nominate Goldwater delegates. The repubublican establishment called on democratic nominators to hand the election to Eisenhower, allowing him to narrowly defeat Taft again. Taft attributed his defeat to “New York financial interests”. This pattern continued in later elections. After Goldwater miraculously won the 1964 republican primaries, he was essentially abandoned by influential Establishment Republicans in the general election, and lost to Eisenhower. After Eisenhower’s election, Schlafly excused his lack of strong republican policies, citing his lack of political experience. Taft, however, attributed this inaction to Eisenhower being a “compassionate conservative”, a liberal leaning republican. He saw Eisenhower’s presidency as yet another “echo”, calling it a “Dime store New Deal” Interference in repubublican presidential nomination processes continued throughout the 20th century, and are detailed by Schlafly. Her calls to voters to remain staunchly supportive of real, disruptive, anti-establishment republican candidates was a key factor in the success of Barry Goldwater in the 1964 primaries.

Effect On Politics edit

Helped Barry Goldwater win 1964 primary Anti-establishment Stopped the ERA Rallied an independent, anti-establishment conservative movement Exposed corruption and unseen kingmaker influence Disrupted the power of elite party establishment More power to voters Female icon of the conservative party At a time when few feminists were repub/conservative Pushed republican party to the right on family issues such as abortion and birth control


Citations edit

A Choice Not an Echo (actual book) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

Attachments area Preview YouTube video Phyllis Schlafly: A Choice Not An Echo

Phyllis Schlafly: A Choice Not An Echo


Phyllis Schlafly was an influential conservative antifeminist. She was extremely politically active: she testified before many legislative committees, lead the fight against the Equal Rights Amendment, and was a conservative antifeminist icon. Phyllis Schlafly was highly educated; she graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Washington University-Saint Louis, and attended graduate schools at Washington and Harvard University. She used these skills and her status as a lawyer to debate and campaign against many feminists and feminist actions such as the ERA, and wrote several conservative books, such as “A Choice Not an Echo”. She lead the pro-family movement beginning in 1972, and was a mother to six children.

In 1964, Phyllis Schlafly wrote her best-selling book, “A Choice Not an Echo”. In this book, Schlafly gives her insider account of the Republic National Conventions she has witnessed, and relates her personal insights as to the problems within the Republican party. She provides rare details about the inside workings of American politics and explores how U.S. presidents are chosen. She also predicts whether Republicans will be successful in the 1964 election.

Works Cited:

“A Choice Not An Echo (1964).” Eagle Forum, eagleforum.org/about/phyllis-books/a-choice-not-an-echo-1964.html.

“Phyllis Schlafly Bio - Founder of Eagle Forum.” Eagle Forum, eagleforum.org/about/bio.html.

I’m working on a page for Phyllis Schlafly, these bullet points will be converted into paragraphs.

Phyllis Schlafly Bio Info: Birth Year: August 15, 1924 St.Louis Missouri Death: September 5, 2016 (92 years old) Ladue, Missouri Where your person lived: Residence: born in St. Louis August 15, 1924, and grew up there, graduating first in her high school class at the Academy of Sacred Heart. She was married October 20, 1949 at the St. Louis Cathedral; spent her married life in Alton, Illinois, 1949-1993; since then lives in Ladue, Missouri. Information about her political activism: She was three times elected President of the Illinois Federation of Republican Women, 1960-64, and was elected First Vice President, National Federation of Republican Women (1964-1967). She was a candidate for Congress from Illinois in 1952 and in 1970, in two different districts. author or editor of 27 books monthly newsletter called The Phyllis Schlafly Report published fifty years syndicated column appeared in 100 newspapers Lead pro family movement starting 1972 Campaigned against ERA and radical feminists named one of 100 most important women of 20th century by Ladies’ Home Journal Family: 6 children 1992 Illinois Mother of the Year Children: John, attorney; Bruce, orthopedic surgeon; Roger, software developer (California); Liza Forshaw, attorney; Andy, attorney (New Jersey); Anne Cori, businesswoman (Kitchen Conservatory in Clayton, Missouri). taught all children to read before entered school three lawyers, one physician, one Ph.D. mathematician, and one businesswoman Marriage: Husband: John Fred Schlafly, attorney, married in 1949, died 1993; they lived in Alton, Illinois, where he practiced law. Education: Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Washington University J.D. from Washington University Law School Master’s in Political Science from Harvard University 2008, Washington University/St. Louis awarded her honorary Doctor of Humane Letters


Employment History: Lawyer Can practice in: Illinois, Missouri, the District of Columbia, + U.S. Supreme Court served as member of Commission on Bicentennial of U.S. Constitution 1985-1991 appointed by President Reagan testified before 50+ Congressional/State Legislative committees on issues of: Constitutional national defense Family

  1. ^ https://eagleforum.org/about/bio.html
  2. ^ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Schlafly
  3. ^ https://www.dailysignal.com/2016/09/06/how-phyllis-schlafly-beat-liberal-gop-kingmakers-and-paved-way-for-reagan/
  4. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6mVMDFKK_8
  5. ^ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/feb/24/phyllis-schlafly-the-queen-of-the-conservative-mov/
  6. ^ https://www.thenewamerican.com/reviews/books/item/19728-a-choice-not-an-echo-fifty-years-later
  7. ^ https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Biographies&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=MultiTab&searchType=PersonSearchForm&currentPosition=1&docId=GALE%7CH1000087864&docType=Biography&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=ZXAM-MOD1&prodId=BIC&contentSet=GALE%7CH1000087864&searchId=R2&userGroupName=athe67392&inPS=true
  8. ^ https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T002&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=3&docId=GALE%7CA155919824&docType=Book+review&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=ZEAI-MOD1&prodId=EAIM&contentSet=GALE%7CA155919824&searchId=R5&userGroupName=athe67392&inPS=true
  9. ^ https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T002&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=7&docId=GALE%7CA101339799&docType=Book+review&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=ZEAI-MOD1&prodId=EAIM&contentSet=GALE%7CA101339799&searchId=R5&userGroupName=athe67392&inPS=true
  10. ^ https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv39x79b?turn_away=true&Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=a&searchText=choice&searchText=not&searchText=an&searchText=echo&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Da%2Bchoice%2Bnot%2Ban%2Becho%26amp%3Bacc%3Doff%26amp%3Bwc%3Don%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bgroup%3Dnone&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_SYC-4653%2Fcontrol&refreqid=search%3A81be8b19a9bcd54bb6d7333df9ea26ce
  11. ^ https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt7sz87?turn_away=true&Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=a&searchText=choice&searchText=not&searchText=an&searchText=echo&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Da%2Bchoice%2Bnot%2Ban%2Becho%26amp%3Bacc%3Doff%26amp%3Bwc%3Don%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bgroup%3Dnone&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_SYC-4653%2Fcontrol&refreqid=search%3A705042d520ea4f0608c483fa69916745
  12. ^ https://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/a-choice-not-an-echo-again/
  13. ^ https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/05/the-three-books-that-shook-conservative-media-and-politics-in-1964/371264/
  14. ^ http://www.4president.org/speeches/barrygoldwater1964announcement.htm