PR Women Who Led the Nation in its Fight for Equal Rights
The Museum of Public RelationsWhen we study the achievements of PR women who changed history, one name that stands out is Muriel Fox. In 1949, as a recent graduate of Barnard, Fox answered a "Help Wanted" ad in the New York Times. It was for a writing position at the Carl Byoir Agency, then one of the largest firms in the US. Back then, most ads specified "men" or "women." This particular ad did not specify a gender. However, when Fox went up to the agency for an interview, she was brushed aside. "At Byoir, women are only secretaries, not writers." So persistent she was, that she convinced the hiring manager to let her try the job out for two weeks. She was hired full-time before the two weeks were over. In 1966, she met Betty Friedan, (author of The Feminine Mystique) and along with Gloria Steinem, launched the National Organization of Women (N.O.W.). (The original press release announcing N.O.W. is archived at the Museum of PR.)
