Muriel fox

BIOGRAPHY

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Muriel Fox, Alumna of Rollins, is well known as the co-founder of the National Organization for Women (NOW), chair of Veteran Feminists of America, and ambassador for the women’s movement.  She remains an active force in the feminist movement as an organizer, speaker, writer, and editor. 

Fox grew up in Newark, New Jersey, and received her secondary education at Philip Roth Weequahic High School.  Her family relocated to Miami Beach, where Rollins College granted Fox a full scholarship.  While at Rollins, Fox took an active role in the academic affairs of the campus.  She participated in Hamilton Holt’s honors course on the atomic bomb, was on the Sandspur committee, and worked as a string correspondent for the United Press, covering events such as the 1946 Conference on the Atomic Bomb and World Government. 

After transferring to Bernard College in New York City to complete her undergraduate degree in American Studies, Fox became a copy writer for Sears Roebuck.  Soon after, Fox moved to Miami, where she headed the Dade County re-election campaign of U.S. Senator Claude Pepper and helped elect Miami Mayor William Wolfarth. Fox sought to further her career by applying to the world’s largest public relations agency, Carl Buyer and Associates, only to be told, “We don’t hire women writers.”  Nevertheless, she persisted and by 1956, became the youngest vice president of the company.  Following her promotion, Fox was told she had progressed as far as possible; this prompted her to help co-found NOW, an organization that changed the business climate for women.

 Fox maintained an active role in the political movement towards equality.  For her dedication towards the cause, the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund created the Foxy Award, and recognized Muriel Fox as its first recipient.  Fox was also the first recipient of New York State’s Eleanor Roosevelt Award, the first woman to receive the “Business of the Year” award, and is cited in several literary sources, including Who’s Who in the World and Feminists Who Changed America.     

Fox describes the experience of being part of Rollins’ honors course on the atomic bomb

• "During the conference of the atom bomb and world government, which had outstanding people participating – I.I. Robbie, one of the great nuclear scientists, and William Laurence, the science editor of the New York Times, William Douglas, the supreme court justice, and Corliss Lamont, of the World Federalist, and James Carey, head of the United Electrical Union, and other really important people were at that conference."
  
  
  
  
  
   

• "The only woman in it is a housewife in an apron, and all the role models are men – almost all the puppets are men. So I arranged for a meeting between Joan Ganz Cooney, and the other leaders of Sesame Street with the leaders of NOW and helped them arrive at some understandings that would lead to more inspiring roles for women..."
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  

• "The biggest challenge I would say is sex discrimination every step of the way. I remember once the president of our agency said to me, “Well Muriel, you’re wonderful, we love you.” As a matter of fact, I had been made vice-president. I was the youngest vice-president at Buyer. ..."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• "And I was ahead of the line, and I grabbed this young girl, which I think was seven years old, the daughter of Lynn Chaffin, a very important lawyer in the women’s movement, and I said, “Come on Brooke, let’s head the parade.” As a matter of fact, this medallion was made from that march, and it shows a woman in white dress – me – and Brooke – the little girl – leading the parade..."
  
  
  
   

• "Don’t think the work has already been done. Many of the doors has already been open, but there are still a lot of closed doors and its very exciting if you can help other women through those doors and as I did, I ended up, helping myself. So, it really – it works that way so that I would certainly say get involved in the women’s movement..."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Fox describes the meeting NOW officers held with the producers of Sesame Street

Alli:  What has been your biggest challenge in your career? 

Fox describes her involvement with the Equal Rights movement

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Zhang: So what is your     view of women’s movement and what would be your advice to young women like Jennifer and Alia, when they are going to start their career?