The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that would guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. While the ERA does not specifically mention race, it has been an important issue in Black history as it relates to the fight for equality and civil rights.

During the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s, many Black activists advocated for the passage of the ERA as a way to address gender discrimination that disproportionately affected Black women. They saw the ERA as a necessary step in achieving full equality for all marginalized groups, including women of color.

Notable Black feminists such as Shirley Chisholm and Fannie Lou Hamer were vocal supporters of the ERA, arguing that it was essential in combating the intersecting forms of discrimination faced by Black women. They believed that the ERA would provide legal protection against discrimination in areas such as employment, education, and housing.

Despite strong advocacy from activists and organizations, the ERA has yet to be ratified as an amendment to the Constitution. The deadline for ratification initially set in the 1970s passed without the required number of states ratifying the amendment. Efforts to revive the ERA continue to this day, with supporters arguing that its passage is crucial for ensuring equality and justice for all Americans, including Black people.