Betty Friedan, born on this day in 1921, was an American feminist activist and writer, authoring the widely influential book "The Feminine Mystique" in 1963. "The Feminine Mystique" is often credited with sparking the second wave of American feminism in the 20th century.

In 1966, Friedan co-founded and was elected the first president of the National Organization for Women (NOW), which aimed to bring women "into the mainstream of American society now [in] fully equal partnership with men."

In 1970, Friedan organized the nationwide Women's Strike for Equality on August 26th, the 50th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granting women the right to vote.

The national strike was successful beyond expectations in broadening the feminist movement; the march led by Friedan in New York City alone attracted over 50,000 people. In 1971, Friedan joined other leading feminists to establish the National Women's Political Caucus.

Friedan's politics around feminism were not always intersectional with respect to class and race. Despite the success NOW achieved under her leadership, Friedan's decision to pressure Equal Employment Opportunity to use Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to enforce more job opportunities among American women met with fierce opposition within the organization.

Siding with arguments from the group's black members, many of NOW's leaders accepted that black people below the povery line, both men and women, needed those opportunities more than predominantly white upper class women.

Friedan stepped down as president in 1969 and founded the "First Women's Bank and Trust Company" a few years later.

"The truth is that I've always been a bad-tempered bitch. Some people say that I have mellowed some. I don't know..."

- Betty Friedan