The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that aimed to guarantee equal rights under the law for all citizens, regardless of sex. While the primary focus of the ERA was on gender equality, it also had implications for Black Americans and other marginalized groups.

In the context of Black history, the ERA was seen as a crucial step towards addressing gender and racial discrimination. Black women, who faced intersecting forms of oppression based on both race and gender, stood to benefit from the passage of the ERA. The civil rights and feminist movements of the 1960s and 1970s worked together to push for the ratification of the ERA, recognizing that equality for women was essential for achieving broader social justice and equality for all.

However, the ERA ultimately fell short of being ratified as a constitutional amendment. Despite passing through Congress in 1972, the ERA failed to be ratified by the required number of states before the deadline in 1982. Efforts to revive the ERA continue to this day, with advocates arguing that the amendment is still needed to secure equal rights for all individuals, regardless of gender or race.