Houston City Council Moves to Abolish Women’s Advocate Office (1977)

Duration: 11:28

Year Published: 1977

Format: 16mm

Sound: sound

Description: In 1976, Mayor of Houston Fred Hofheinz appointed Dr. Nikki Van Hightower to the position of Women’s Advocate, one of the first such city offices in the country. Hightower’s outspoken criticism of gender discrimination and prominent support of the women’s movement, however, made her unpopular with the all-male Houston City Council. The tension came to a head in March 1977, after Hightower spoke in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment at an International Women’s Day rally. When local citizens’ groups addressed the City Council in protest, its members voted to reduce her annual salary to $1, hoping to force her resignation. Once the salary vote was ruled illegal, the City Council voted to abolish the position of Women’s Advocate altogether. Minutes after the ordinance passed, Hofheinz announced that he had hired Hightower as the Affirmative Action Specialist on his staff, allowing her to perform essentially the same job under a different title. Hightower held the position until 1978, when Hofheinz’s successor, Jim McConn, fired her upon taking office. This unedited news footage from KPRC-TV captures the controversy surrounding Hightower leading up to the abolishment ordinance, with both detractors and supporters shown speaking before the City Council. Reporter Nancy Holland also interviews members of the public about their stance on the issue. The film also features silent footage from other news stories, including coverage of a local homicide as well as reports on the Houston Fire and Police Departments. Special thanks to Thoa Nguyen and Aden Wexberg for their help cataloging this film.