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The Abortion Counseling Service was the CWLU's underground illegal abortion provider until 1973. Better known as "Jane" it has been the subject of a book, a documentary film,a poetry collection and a stage play.
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The Southeast Asia War was raging when the CWLU was founded in 1969 and its members were very anti-war. The Anti-Imperialist group helped women understand the relationship between imperialism and sexism and how women's experience with war is quite different than men's.
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Strongly influenced by the Chinese Revolution,
the AWG worked on issues of labor exploitation, racism and the
particular sexism directed against women of color. They produced a slideshow on the exploitation of women workers in sweatshops.
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Lesbians faced discrimination
not only from the larger society, but even from within the women's
movement. The CWLU's lesbian organizing focused on both forms
of discrimination. The Lesbian Group (formerly the Gay Group) came to be known as "Blazing
Star", after the name of their popular newsletter.
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The colorful posters of the Chicago Women's Graphics Collective adorned the walls of many feminist homes, offices. women's centers and health clinics in the 1970's and 1980's. They are considered collector's items today
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They were probably the
first feminist rock and roll ensemble in U.S. history. Their
live performances are remembered with great affection by those
who attended them. With their sister band, the New Haven Women's
Liberation Rock Band, they cut a vinyl LP called Mountain
Moving Day in 1972.
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The China Group organized the first trip to China by a women's liberation organization. They observed the changes in women's status that had resulted from the Chinese Revolution and then shared their insights with other Americans upon their return.
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DARE worked in Chicago's labor movement, trying to battle the intense employment discrimination of the time. Their most successful activity was the campaign to support the City Hall janitresses who courageously confronted the Major Richard J. Daley political machine over racial and gender discrimination.
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HERS(Health Evaluation and Referral Service) provided women with detailed information about health resources in the Chicagoland area. One of the CWLU's most successful projects, it lasted until 1990.
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The Legal Clinic provided a much needed alternative
for women at a time when there were few women lawyers and even
fewer women judges. The Clinic gave free legal advice and referred
people to women lawyers who charged reasonable fees or did work
pro bono.
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Outreach/Secret Storm organized women in Chicago's
working class high schools, community colleges and neighborhoods.
They are probably best remembered for their struggle to end
the Chicago Park District's bias against women's sports.
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Back when pregnancy tests were only available
from clinics and doctors, the Pregnancy Testing workgroup provided
a very popular service to women who could not afford a doctor
or clinic, or were turned off by the pervasive medical sexism
of the time.
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Prison Project worked with women incarcerated at the Dwight Correctional Center. They taught learning skills, helped prisoners with legal research and organized advocacy on the outside. Eventually, their work at the prison helped establish child visitation rights for incarcerated mothers.
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The Rape Project had a crisis line where women
who had been raped could call for someone to talk to them, someone
to go to the hospital with them, and if they wanted, someone
to go to the police with them. Rape crisis hotlines were still
a new idea at the time.
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The CWLU Steering Committee was made up of
representatives of various CWLU associated groups. It
was responsible for coordinating the day to day work of the
CWLU, for overseeing the office and staff of the CWLU, and for
planning CWLU special events.
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WATCH(Women Act to Control Healthcare), formed in 1972 to try to save the Chicago Maternity Center, a home birthing clinic located on Chicago's Westside. WATCH also did pregnancy testing for women in a storefront on Halsted Street and assisted women in making choices about their pregnancy including where to get a safe abortion.
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Womankind was the newspaper of the CWLU from 1971-73. It was conceived as a monthly publication to reach women who were curious about the women's liberation movement, but who were not necessarily activists.
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CWLU in Action 
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