East End Women's Alliance Collection

The East End Women's Alliance (EEWA) formed in 1970, as somewhat of a geographical response to the feminist organizing that was taking place in New York City, in particular the work of groups like New York Radical Feminists. EEWA was based in the Hamptons, New York, and many of the organization’s members moved back and forth between New York City and the Hamptons, although the organization ultimately included local permanent Hamptons residents. EEWA remained active throughout the 1990’s, disbanding in 1999 with the closing of the organization’s bank account. According to EEWA documentation, the group was a “loosely structured” group of women with no designated leader.

EEWA was aligned with many of the ideological concerns of the Second Wave feminist movement, including consciousness raising, supporting and empowering women to hold political office or undertake political campaigns, and advocating for the Equal Rights Amendment and pro-choice abortion politics. The EEWA was active in advocating for Geraldine Ferraro in her Vice Presidential campaign, holding letter-writing and informational events, as well as voter registration drives. Other notable events by the EEWA were marches, rallies, and the Disco dance-a-thon to raise funds and support for the Equal Rights Amendment, and panels on abortion rights and access, and the feminization of poverty.

Further, the EEWA was interested in cultivating spaces and community that brought women together in conversation and empowerment, and to that end, worked to create a women’s center in East Hampton, established the Women Honor Women award, and continued consciousness raising efforts by hosting the Women Talk to Women conference. Members of the EEWA were also involved with other feminist and civil rights organizations over the years, including the National Organization for Women (NOW), Planned Parenthood, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Many of these organization’s local Hampton’s chapters co-sponsored events with the EEWA.