We'll Meet Again

[WOMEN CHANT] ANN CURRY: A YOUNG AIRLINE PILOT FACING GENDER DISCRIMINATION... WOMAN: THEY WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT A WOMAN DOESN'T HAVE IT PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, TO DO THIS KIND OF JOB.

CURRY: SEARCHING FOR THE FEMALE CAPTAIN WHO SHOWED HER THE WAY.

WOMAN: SHE WAS DOING THIS JOB THAT I HAD BEEN TOLD WOMEN COULDN'T DO, AND HERE SHE WAS DOING IT, AND DOING IT GREAT.

CURRY: AND A WOMAN WHO RISKED HER LIFE IN A HUNGER STRIKE FOR EQUALITY.

WOMAN 2: I STARTED GOING BLIND AT DAY 11.

THAT WAS RATHER SCARY.

I MEAN, WE REALLY DID BELIEVE WE WERE AT DEATH'S DOOR.

CURRY: LOOKING FOR HER INSPIRATION IN THE FIGHT FOR THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT.

WOMAN 2: I WANT TO TELL HER THANK YOU.

I WANT TO TELL HER WHAT I'VE DONE WITH THIS.

I WANT TO TELL HER THE LIFE I'VE LIVED BECAUSE OF HER.

CHARLIE PUTH: WE'VE COME A LONG WAY... CURRY: THE TIDES OF HISTORY HAVE THROWN STRANGERS TOGETHER... PUTH: ...TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT WHEN I'LL SEE YOU... CURRY: AND TORN LOVED ONES APART.

PUTH: WHEN I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN... CURRY: NOW THE SEARCH IS ON... TALK ABOUT WOW.

COME HERE, SIR.

HA HA!

CURRY: TO BRING THEM TOGETHER AGAIN.

MAN: GOSH!

HA HA!

PUTH: ...WHEN I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN WHEN I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN FOR MUCH OF HISTORY, A WOMAN'S PLACE WAS THOUGHT TO BE ONLY IN THE HOME.

IT'S PERHAPS TOO EASY TO FORGET JUST HOW HARD WOMEN HAD TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOMS TAKEN FOR GRANTED TODAY.

IT TOOK TRUE PIONEERS, INCLUDING TWO WOMEN WHO, DECADES AGO, FOUND THE COURAGE TO STAND UP FOR THE CAUSE.

IN 1984, LYNN RIPPELMEYER BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO CAPTAIN A 747 JUMBO JET ON A TRANS-ATLANTIC FLIGHT.

LYNN: THIS IS THE FLYING 747.

THIS IS THE DAY?

THIS IS AS A CAPTAIN.

THE FIRST TIME YOU FLEW IT AS A CAPTAIN?

CORRECT.

I GET IT.

WOW, LOOK AT THAT.

CURRY, VOICE-OVER: LYNN WAS BORN IN 1951.

SHE GREW UP ON A FARM IN RURAL ILLINOIS, IN AN AMERICA WHERE WOMEN WERE LARGELY CONFINED IN THE HOME.

MALE NARRATOR: CAROLE, WHO IS NOW MRS. BILL JOHNSON, TOOK A GENERAL HOME ECONOMICS COURSE, ONE WHICH FITTED HER FOR THAT VERY IMPORTANT CAREER OF BEING MRS. JOHNSON.

CURRY: WOMEN WANTING TO WORK OUTSIDE THE ROLE OF HOMEMAKER FACED LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES AND BLATANT SEXISM.

MALE NARRATOR: WELL, LOOK WHO'S HERE.

UNDER THAT PERKY HAT IS ONE OF THE NICER PARTS OF BUSINESS.

CURRY: BUT WITH THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT CAME CHANGE.

[WOMEN CHANTING "NOW!"]

CURRY: THE LEGISLATION MADE IT ILLEGAL TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST EMPLOYEES NOT ONLY BASED ON RACE, BUT ON GENDER.

AND BY THE EARLY 1970S, LYNN WAS AMONG THE GROWING NUMBER OF WOMEN TO ATTEND COLLEGE, LOOKING FOR A CAREER.

LYNN: I WAS STUDYING ENGLISH AND PSYCHOLOGY.

AND IN COLLEGE THEN, THERE WERE ELECTIVES, SO I TRIED TO SIGN UP FOR AVIATION.

SO I'D WALKED UP TO A FOLDING TABLE AND I SAID, "I'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THE FLYING."

AND HE SAID, "OH, WE DON'T HAVE GIRLS IN OUR CLASSES."

YOU'RE SAYING THAT IN COLLEGE YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT AVIATION?

YEAH, AND I-- BUT YOU WERE DENIED.

YEAH.

AT THAT TIME, I HAD TWO CHOICES-- I COULD BE A TEACHER OR A NURSE-- AND THAT WASN'T JUST FROM MY PARENTS.

I THINK THAT WAS MY WHOLE COMMUNITY.

CURRY: NEITHER CAREER PATH APPEALED TO LYNN, SO SHORTLY AFTER GRADUATING, SHE WENT FOR AN INTERVIEW AS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

SO THEY ASKED ME A FEW QUESTIONS: "DO YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL?"

I SAID, "OH, I THINK SO.

HAVEN'T DONE MUCH, BUT YEAH."

"AND YOU'VE BEEN A WAITRESS."

"YEAH, I'VE WORKED AS A WAITRESS."

"SOUNDS GOOD," AND I WAS HIRED AS A TWA FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

ANNOUNCER: WHEN A BRANIFF INTERNATIONAL HOSTESS MEETS YOU ON THE AIRPLANE, SHE'LL BE DRESSED LIKE THIS.

CURRY: IN THE 1960S AND 1970S, AIRLINES WANTED THEIR FLIGHT ATTENDANTS YOUNG, ATTRACTIVE, AND AVAILABLE.

WOMAN: REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEFORE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES?

YOU DIDN'T HAVE HOSTESSES IN HOT PANTS.

CURRY: THEY HAD TO BE SINGLE, UNDER 27, BETWEEN 5'3" AND 5'9", AND WEIGH NO MORE THAN 140 POUNDS.

LYNN: WATCHING SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS ALWAYS NOSTALGIC.

SOME OF IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE OF, UH, HOW THINGS WERE THEN, AND SOME OF IT MAKES YOU VERY THANKFUL THAT THINGS AREN'T LIKE THAT ANY LONGER.

CURRY: 35,000 FEET UP, FLIGHT ATTENDANTS LIKE LYNN WERE VULNERABLE TO THE UNWANTED ATTENTION OF PASSENGERS AND CREW.

LYNN: THE TERM "SEXUAL HARASSMENT" HADN'T BEEN COINED YET, SO A LOT OF THE PILOTS FELT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE THERE FOR THEIR, UH, ENTERTAINMENT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO MAKE JOKES ABOUT, ASK ABOUT YOUR BRA SIZE.

THEY DID?

OH, OH, THAT WAS MILD.

HA HA!

THE COCKPIT WAS FULL OF PORNOGRAPHY.

THERE WOULD BE PANELS THAT YOU COULD UNSCREW, AND BEHIND THAT PANEL WOULD FALL OUT A "PLAYBOY" PICTURE, AND THE CAP-- YOU'D OPEN THAT UP, AND THERE'D BE ONE THERE.

I GUESS IT WAS LIKE A SCAVENGER HUNT AND FUN FOR THEM.

HOW DID YOU REACT WHEN YOU EXPERIENCED SEXISM?

I'M A LITTLE EMBARRASSED TO SAY I JUST ACCEPTED IT.

I WAS ENTERING A MAN'S FIELD.

THE BOSS GOT TO MAKE THE RULES, AND IF YOU WANTED THE JOB, YOU KNOW, YOU FOLLOWED THOSE RULES.

CURRY: WHEN LYNN JOINED TWA IN 1972, IT HAD BEEN 52 YEARS SINCE AMERICAN WOMEN HAD WON THE RIGHT TO VOTE, BUT 8 MONTHS BEFORE, THE SUPREME COURT WOULD RULE ON "ROE V WADE."

WOMEN WERE STILL FAR FROM EQUAL.

EMPLOYERS COULD LEGALLY FIRE A WOMAN FOR BECOMING PREGNANT OR REFUSE TO EMPLOY HER IF SHE HAD PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN.

IT REMAINED A MAN'S WORLD WITH MEN AT THE HELM AND WOMEN OFFERING A HELPING HAND, NOWHERE MORE SO THAN IN THE COCKPIT OF A 747.

LYNN: THERE WAS THIS WHOLE MYSTIQUE OF A REAL RAW-MEAT-EATING, CIGAR-SMOKING, MACHO GUY... HA HA HA!

AND HAD TO BE UP THERE AT THE CONTROLS OF THIS BIG PIECE OF METAL TO GET IT FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER.

BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, I'D GET TO SIT IN THE SEAT AND SEE WHAT IT FELT LIKE, AND SEE WHAT THE VIEW LOOKED LIKE FROM UP THERE.

AND THEN I STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE INSTRUMENTS, THE AIRPLANE, AERODYNAMICS, THEIR JOB.

THEY WOULD SAY, "REALLY IS A SHAME THAT WOMEN CAN'T BE AIRLINE PILOTS, "BUT SURELY YOU UNDERSTAND WHY.

"YOU KNOW, A WOMAN DOESN'T HAVE IT PHYSICALLY, "MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, "PSYCHOLOGICALLY, TO DO THIS KIND OF JOB.

"THERE'S A LOT OF STRESS, AND YOU KNOW, THEN THERE'S THAT TIME OF MONTH, WHERE SHE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE ANYWHERE."

[CHUCKLES] CURRY: BUT WHEN FRIENDS OFFERED LYNN FLYING LESSONS IN THEIR SMALL SEA-PLANE, SHE SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY.

LYNN: SO, IN BETWEEN ALL OF MY FLIGHTS, I WOULD GO UP TO VERMONT, DAWN AND BILL WOULD GIVE ME A LESSON, AND I LEARNED ALL THE MANEUVERS THAT YOU HAD TO LEARN.

AND LIFE WAS GREAT AND I WAS IN HEAVEN, I WAS ADDICTED.

CURRY: DURING THE SUMMER OF 1976, LYNN SPENT ALL HER SPARE TIME AND MONEY FLYING SMALL AIRCRAFT, FITTING IT IN AROUND HER DAY JOB AS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

SO, AT THIS POINT, IT WAS A HOBBY.

YES.

SO WHAT TURNED ON THE LIGHT THAT IT COULD BE A JOB?

THERE WAS THIS BEAUTIFUL PATCHWORK QUILT WITH GREEN CORN AND GOLD WHEAT AND RIVERS AND STREAMS.

I LOVED THE VIEW, THAT-- THE VIEW OF THE WORLD FROM UP THERE, ALONG WITH THIS WHOLE SENSE OF CONFIDENCE IN WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO.

SO IT HIT ME AS HARD AS IT DID THAT THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO BE AND WHAT I WANTED TO BE DOING.

CURRY: IN CALIFORNIA IN 1973, 25-YEAR-OLD STUDENT ZOE NICHOLSON WAS ALSO BEGINNING A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY.

IS THAT YOU THERE?

IT IS.

WOW.

WHO KNEW WHAT YOU WOULD BECOME?

OH, IS THIS YOU, TOO?

YES, THIS IS GETTING OLDER AND GETTING IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO AGGRAVATE EVERYBODY.

CURRY: IT SEEMED ZOE'S LIFE WAS MAPPED OUT FOR HER.

ZOE: I WAS RAISED IN AN ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE, CATHOLIC HOME.

MOTHER TOLD ME SUCH LOVELY THINGS AS GIRLS DON'T WORK FOR MONEY, GIRLS DON'T HAVE A MAJOR.

YOU WERE TO BE... A WIFE?

ABSOLUTELY.

MOTHER?

INDEED.

CURRY: BUT IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES, GRAD SCHOOL WOULD OPEN ZOE'S EYES TO A DIFFERENT LIFE, A LIFE OF ACTIVISM.

[CROWD CHEERING] AT THAT TIME, PROTESTS WERE SWEEPING ACROSS THE U.S., WITH YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING TO THE STREETS TO CAMPAIGN FOR PEACE IN VIETNAM, EQUALITY BETWEEN THE RACES, AND A NEW WAVE OF FEMINISM.

CAMPUSES WERE WAKING UP...

YES.

YES.

TO WOMEN'S MOVEMENT.

HOW DID YOU EXPERIENCE THAT?

IT WAS SO EXCITING.

THE WHOLE WORLD WAS ABOUT TO BURST OPEN.

THERE WERE WOMEN WRITERS, THE FEMINIST PRESS.

I STARTED MARATHON READING THROUGH THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT, OBSESSED.

AND I COULDN'T AFFORD ALL THESE BOOKS, SO THE ONLY THING I COULD REALLY DO WAS TO OPEN A BOOKSTORE.

YOU OPENED A BOOKSTORE SO YOU COULD AFFORD TO READ?

THAT WAS IT.

I PUT ON A PAIR OF OVERALLS, I LEARNED HOW TO DO A ROUTER SAW, WE ORDERED LUMBER, AND BOOM!

WE BUILT A WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE.

ZOE: THIS IS THE PLACE THAT I RENTED-- A WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE BELOW AND MY ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT ABOVE.

CURRY: THE MAGIC SPELLER OPENED IN JULY 1976.

IT WAS THE ONLY BOOKSTORE IN NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, DEDICATED TO SELLING BOOKS WRITTEN BY WOMEN.

ZOE: IT WAS WOMEN WHO WROTE FICTION, SCIENCE FICTION, WOMEN IN POLITICS.

WOMEN WOULD ALSO COME TO BUY TICKETS FOR WOMEN'S CONCERTS.

THEY WOULD GET ALBUMS BY, FOR, AND ABOUT WOMEN, SO IT WAS ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH WOMEN.

CURRY: BUT THE MAGIC SPELLER QUICKLY BECAME MORE THAN SIMPLY A STORE.

ZOE: IT MIGHT BE HARD TO IMAGINE, BUT NO FACEBOOK, NO TWITTER.

PEOPLE ACTUALLY CAME HERE, AND THEY WOULD READ THE BULLETIN BOARDS.

SO A FEMINIST BOOKSTORE IN THE SEVENTIES WAS THE EPICENTER OF THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT.

ZOE: YOU NEVER KNEW WHO WAS GOING TO CALL.

THEY MIGHT CALL FOR A BOOK THAT INTERESTED THEM, BUT SOMETIMES THEY CALLED FOR AN ABORTION.

THEY'D CALL THE BOOKSTORE FOR AN ABORTION?

"I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.

WHAT DO I DO?"

"MY HUSBAND'S BEATING ME.

WHAT DO I DO?"

CURRY: EVERY MONTH, FEMINIST AUTHORS CAME TO ZOE'S BOOKSTORE FOR BOOK-SIGNINGS.

AND IN THE FALL OF 1981, A WOMAN ARRIVED WHO WOULD CHANGE ZOE'S LIFE FOREVER.

THERE'S A MOMENT WHEN YOU MEET THAT ONE PERSON THAT YOU KNOW SEES THE WORLD SIMILARLY TO WHAT YOU SEE.

IT'S LIKE THAT BLUE DIAMOND MATCH THAT'S GOING TO RUB UP AGAINST YOU AND SET YOU ON FIRE AND MAKE TROUBLE.

HEH!

"BEAUTIFUL TROUBLE" IS THE EXPRESSION.

[APPLAUSE] CURRY: SONIA JOHNSON WAS AN AUTHOR AND ACTIVIST...

E.R.A.!

[CROWD CHEERING] CURRY: WHO HAD BEEN EXCOMMUNICATED FROM THE MORMON CHURCH... SONIA: I FEEL AS IF THEY WERE SO THREATENED THAT THEY WERE NOT RATIONAL.

CURRY: DUE TO HER VOCAL SUPPORT FOR A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION... WE'RE WILLING TO GIVE OUR LIVES TO SECURE JUSTICE FOR WOMEN IN THIS COUNTRY.

[CROWD CHANTING INDISTINCTLY] CURRY: THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD ENSHRINE IN THE CONSTITUTION EQUAL LEGAL RIGHTS FOR ALL CITIZENS, REGARDLESS OF SEX.

WHY ISN'T IT IN THERE?

WHY AREN'T WE GUARANTEED THE BILL OF RIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION?

I JUST COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT.

CURRY: ANY AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION MUST BE RATIFIED BY AT LEAST 3/4 OF STATE LEGISLATURES.

BY 1982, 35 OUT OF THE NECESSARY 38 STATES HAD APPROVED THE E.R.A.

CONGRESS HAD IMPOSED A DEADLINE.

ZOE: WE ONLY HAD A FEW YEARS LEFT.

WE HAD TO DO ANYTHING WE COULD THINK OF, AND MANY DID, TO TRY TO TURN THESE REMAINING 15 STATES TO GREEN STATES BY JUNE 30, 1982.

WE NEEDED 3 MORE TO RATIFY THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT.

CURRY: AS THE DEADLINE APPROACHED, ZOE FELT SHE HAD TO TAKE ACTION.

SHE SPOKE WITH SONIA, THE ONE PERSON WHO SHE KNEW WOULD FEEL THE SAME.

I SAID TO HER, "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?"

AND I MEANT THAT MOST LITERALLY.

I WASN'T SPEAKING METAPHORICALLY.

I WAS SAYING, "SONIA, WHAT ARE YOU AND I GOING TO DO?"

AND SHE SAID THE RIGHT THING.

AND I SAID, "WELL, I DON'T CARE WHAT IT IS.

THE ANSWER WILL BE YES."

AND SHE SAID, "IT'S GOING TO BE A FAST."

I SAID, "FINE.

TELL ME WHERE, TELL ME WHEN.

I WILL BE THERE."

SHE SAID, "OK, GOOD.

I HAVE OTHERS TO CALL," AND THAT WAS THE END OF THAT PHONE CALL.

CURRY: IT WAS A DECISION THAT WOULD PROPEL ZOE INTO THE HEADLINES, EXPOSE HER TO RIDICULE, AND PUSH HER TO THE BRINK OF DEATH.

IN 1976, FLIGHT ATTENDANT LYNN RIPPELMEYER WAS ALSO FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY.

LYNN WANTED TO TURN HER PASSION FOR FLYING INTO A FULL-TIME JOB AND SWAP HER DRINKS CART FOR THE CONTROLS OF A 747.

SO, AT AGE 25, LYNN WENT BACK TO COLLEGE TO GET HER FLIGHT ENGINEER CERTIFICATE.

LYNN: I WAS THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE CLASS, BUT I WAS AN ENGLISH AND PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR.

THIS WAS PHYSICS.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE I'D GOTTEN TO THIS AGE AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW ELECTRICITY WORKS, A HYDRAULIC PUMP, UM...FUEL PUMPS, PNEUMATICS.

CURRY: BUT LYNN PERSISTED AND RECEIVED HER CERTIFICATE.

NEXT, SHE NEEDED 1,000 HOURS OF EXPERIENCE FLYING A JET, BUT MOST MAJOR AIRLINE PILOTS GAINED THEIR JET HOURS BY SERVING IN THE MILITARY.

LYNN: I COULDN'T GO INTO THE MILITARY, THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD, OR THE RESERVES; CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID, "NO, WE CAN'T TAKE WOMEN BECAUSE WOMEN CAN'T GO INTO COMBAT."

CURRY: SO, ON A STOPOVER WHILE WORKING AS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT, LYNN TRIED HER LUCK WITH A REGIONAL AIRLINE.

AIR ILLINOIS HAD A FLEET OF SMALL TWIN OTTER AIRCRAFT.

I WENT UP TO THE COUNTER AND SAID TO THE LADY, "CAN I HAVE AN APPLICATION?"

AND SHE SAID, "WELL, WE'VE GOT ENOUGH FLIGHT ATTENDANTS."

I SAID, "NO, I NEED-- I WANT TO BE A PILOT."

"YOU WANT TO BE A PILOT?"

"YES, MA'AM."

AND SHE TURNS AROUND AND GOES, GETS THIS GUY, WHO COMES OUT.

THIS BIG, BURLY GUY WITH A GREY CREW CUT SAYS, "SO YOU THINK YOU WANT TO BE A PILOT?"

AND PUTS HIS ARM AROUND ME.

AND THE WHOLE TERMINAL TURNS AROUND AND LOOKS AT ME AND JUST--OH, IT WAS SO EMBARRASSING.

CURRY: LYNN ASSUMED SHE WOULD NEVER HEAR FROM AIR ILLINOIS AGAIN.

TWO MONTHS LATER, LYNN GOT A CALL FROM THE SMALL AIRLINE.

LYNN: THEY SAID, "WE WANT YOU TO COME IN IN TWO WEEKS FOR TRAINING."

I SAID, "NO, THERE'S NO WAY.

NO, THAT'S A JOKE."

AND SHE SAID, "NO, NO, THERE'S GOING TO BE A CLASS, YOU AND ANOTHER LADY.

"SHE'S GOING TO BE TRAINED AS A CAPTAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO BE TRAINED "AS A FIRST OFFICER, AND IT STARTS IN TWO WEEKS.

CAN YOU BE HERE?"

"SURE."

I DIDN'T ASK FOR-- I DIDN'T ASK ABOUT THE SALARY, I DIDN'T ASK ABOUT THE SCHEDULE BECAUSE I'D FOUND OUT THE TWIN OTTER COUNTS FOR THE MAJOR AIRLINES AS THE JET TIME THAT I NEEDED.

AND THEY WERE FLYING MAXIMUM TIME, WHICH IS 100 HOURS A MONTH, SO, WITHIN A YEAR, I'D HAVE MY JET TIME.

LYNN: THIS IS THE TWIN OTTER THAT WE WERE FLYING IN THEN.

AS THE FIRST OFFICER, THIS WAS MY SEAT, TO THE RIGHT, AND THE CAPTAIN WOULD'VE BEEN IN THE LEFT SEAT.

THE TWIN OTTER'S UNIQUE, IN THAT THE THROTTLES ARE IN THE CEILING.

I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER AIRPLANE THAT IS THAT WAY.

YEAH, IT WAS A FUN AIRPLANE TO FLY.

CURRY: IT WAS AT AIR ILLINOIS THAT LYNN WOULD MEET THE WOMAN WHO WOULD HELP HER MAKE HISTORY--EMILY JONES.

TELL ME ABOUT EMILY.

DESCRIBE HER.

LYNN: WELL SHE WAS OLDER, VERY SERIOUS ABOUT LEARNING EVERYTHING, AND SHE WAS THE ONLY OTHER WOMAN PILOT THAT I HAD HAD A CHANCE TO MEET, AND SHE WAS DOING THIS JOB THAT I HAD BEEN TOLD WOMEN COULDN'T DO.

AND HERE SHE WAS, DOING IT AND DOING IT GREAT.

CURRY: AFTER TWO WEEKS OF COMPANY TRAINING, LYNN QUALIFIED AS A FIRST OFFICER, OR CO-PILOT, AND EMILY AS A CAPTAIN.

LYNN: AND AT THE END OF THAT TRAINING, THE BOSS COMES IN AND SAYS, "YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FLY TOGETHER.

"WE DON'T WANT TO SCARE THE PASSENGERS, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A MAN UP THERE IN CASE ANYTHING GOES WRONG, YOU KNOW?"

CURRY: BUT ON DECEMBER 30, 1977, EVENTS CONSPIRED AGAINST THE AIRLINE.

HEAVY RAIN AND HIGH WINDS SWEPT ACROSS ILLINOIS AND PROPELLED LYNN AND EMILY INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS.

LYNN: A STORM CAME THROUGH, AND IT WAS EMILY'S FLIGHT, BUT HER FIRST OFFICER COULDN'T GET THERE, AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT.

I DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS THE CAPTAIN UNTIL I GOT THERE, AND I SAID, "OK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THIS, RIGHT?"

SO I CALLED THE BOSS AND HE SAID, "ALL RIGHT, WE'LL TAKE IT, BUT KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED, AND NOBODY MAKES ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS."

HEH!

IN OTHER WORDS, THE AIRPLANE CAN BE FLYING, BUT NOBODY SHOULD KNOW WHY OR HOW IT'S FLYING.

HA HA!

CURRY: FLIGHT UX214, DEPARTING CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS, ON THAT FATEFUL DAY WOULD BECOME THE NATION'S FIRST SCHEDULED AIRLINE FLIGHT PILOTED BY AN ALL-FEMALE CREW.

LYNN: WELL, I'M SURE WE COMMENTED HOW NICE IT WAS THAT FINALLY WE WERE GOING TO GET TO FLY TOGETHER, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME WE WERE MAKING HISTORY.

THAT WASN'T WHY WE WERE DOING IT; WE WERE JUST THERE DOING OUR JOB.

I DON'T THINK EITHER ONE OF US DID ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN WE WOULD HAVE DONE IF A MAN HAD BEEN IN THE OTHER SEAT.

IT WAS WHAT BOTH OF US HAD TO DO TO GET 15 PEOPLE TO WHERE THEY WANTED TO GO, COMFORTABLY AND SAFELY AND AS CLOSE TO ON TIME AS POSSIBLE.

CURRY: THE FLIGHT MADE MORE THAN HISTORY.

IT MADE LYNN BELIEVE THAT ONE DAY SHE COULD BE A CAPTAIN.

LYNN: SEEING HER IN THAT SEAT CERTAINLY WAS EYE-OPENING BECAUSE I HADN'T SEEN A FEMALE CAPTAIN BEFORE.

THE TWA PILOTS THAT I'D FLOWN WITH SAID THAT WAS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

THERE'S NO WAY GUYS WOULD TAKE ORDERS FROM A FEMALE, SO THE AIRLINE OBVIOUSLY WOULDN'T ALLOW ONE TO BECOME A CAPTAIN.

AND YET, HERE EMILY WAS, SO IT OPENED UP THAT POSSIBILITY FOR ME THAT MAYBE SOMEDAY, YES, I WOULD BE ABLE TO SIT IN THAT SEAT, TOO, IF SHE DID.

IT'S AMAZING WHAT HAVING A ROLE MODEL CAN DO TO YOUR HOPES.

CURRY: INSPIRED BY EMILY'S EXAMPLE, LYNN WENT ON TO ACHIEVE HER DREAM.

LYNN: THAT WAS THE DREAM COME TRUE.

THAT WAS WHERE I WANTED TO BE.

CURRY: AND ON JULY 7, 1980, LYNN BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO CAPTAIN A 747.

NOW, THAT WAS COOL.

THAT WAS PROBABLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER.

CURRY: AND 4 YEARS LATER, SHE BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO CAPTAIN A JUMBO JET ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

CURRY: THAT'S A LOT OF SUCCESS.

HOW DID EMILY PLAY INTO ANY OF THAT?

DID SHE GET ANY CREDIT FOR WHAT YOU BECAME?

NO.

WE WERE YOUNG, YOU KNOW?

HEH HEH!

I DON'T THINK IT'S UNTIL YOU DO LOOK BACK THAT YOU REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THOSE PEOPLE WERE AND WHAT ROLE THEY PLAYED.

CURRY: AFTER THEIR TIME TOGETHER AT AIR ILLINOIS, LYNN LOST CONTACT WITH EMILY.

NOW THAT SHE HAS RETIRED, SHE WANTS TO THANK EMILY FOR INSPIRING HER TO ACHIEVE HER DREAMS.

LYNN: FINDING HER TO SAY THANKS TO WOULD JUST BE WONDERFUL, IF I COULD SAY THANK YOU TO HER.

I'D REALLY, REALLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

[CROWD SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY] CURRY: WHILE LYNN HAD WON THE RIGHT TO BE TREATED AS AN EQUAL AT WORK... ZOE NICHOLSON WAS CAMPAIGNING WITH ACTIVIST SONIA JOHNSON TO INCLUDE EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

ZOE: SONIA SAID, "YOU WILLING TO DIE FOR THIS?"

SHE SAID THAT?

AND I SAID YES.

YOU WERE WILLING TO DIE FOR IT?

STILL AM.

CURRY: IN MAY 1982, ZOE WOULD RISK HER LIFE FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION GUARANTEEING EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL, REGARDLESS OF GENDER.

TO GRAB HEADLINES AND FORCE STATE LEGISLATORS TO TAKE NOTICE, ZOE, SONIA, AND 5 OTHER WOMEN PLANNED TO FAST.

ZOE: ALL OF MY HEROES HAD FASTED.

MAHATMA GANDHI HAD FASTED.

ALICE PAUL HAD FASTED; SHE WAS THE AUTHOR OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT.

THE FIRST WAVE WOMEN OF THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT HAD FASTED AND BEEN FORCE-FED.

IT STRUCK MIDDLE "C" IN MY HEART.

CURRY: THE WOMEN DECIDED TO HOLD THEIR HUNGER STRIKE IN ILLINOIS, ONE OF THE KEY STATES DUE TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT BEFORE THE RAPIDLY APPROACHING DEADLINE OF JUNE 30, 1982.

ZOE: THE LOCAL PAPER CAME TO PHOTOGRAPH OUR LAST MEAL, SO WE ATE EVERYTHING THAT WASN'T NAILED DOWN.

LIKE?

FRIED CHICKEN, 3 HALF-GALLONS OF BEN & JERRY'S, PIZZA.

WE ATE IT ALL.

CURRY: 44 DAYS BEFORE THE DEADLINE, THE WOMEN TOOK UP RESIDENCE IN THE ROTUNDA OF THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING IN SPRINGFIELD.

ZOE: IT'S REALLY EMOTIONAL TO BE HERE.

CURRY: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ZOE HAS SET FOOT HERE SINCE HER HUNGER STRIKE 37 YEARS AGO.

ZOE: WE WERE HERE EVERY DAY FROM 10:00 TO 2:00.

WE SAT HERE ON FOLDING CHAIRS.

THEN BEHIND US WAS A BIG BANNER WITH THE DAYS TICKING BY.

WE SAT HERE FOR 37 DAYS, FASTING ON WATER.

FEMALE TV ANCHOR: 9 DAYS INTO THEIR FAST, A GROUP OF FEMINISTS DOMINATES THE ROTUNDA OF THE ILLINOIS CAPITAL IN SPRINGFIELD, A GROUP INSPIRED BY SONIA JOHNSON, EXCOMMUNICATED BY THE MORMON CHURCH FOR HER FEMINIST POSITIONS.

SONIA: WE WANT TO TOUCH THE HEARTS OF THESE LEGISLATORS.

WE WANT TO CONVERT THEM TO THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY AND LIBERTY FOR WOMEN, AND THAT'S WHAT FASTS CAN ACCOMPLISH IF THEY ARE DONE PROPERLY.

CURRY: AFTER 10 DAYS, THE WOMEN'S HEALTH BEGAN TO DETERIORATE.

I STARTED GOING BLIND AT DAY 11.

THAT WAS RATHER SCARY, AND I HAD NO IDEA IF MY EYES WOULD CLEAR.

AND THEN MARY ANN BELL'S LUNG COLLAPSED, AND I THINK SONIA SUFFERED THE MOST, ACTUALLY.

SHE WAS PROBABLY THE THINNEST OF ALL OF US, AND SHE WAS UNDER ENORMOUS STRESS.

AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK, SONIA HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AT LEAST 3 TIMES.

THEY WERE INSISTING ON GIVING HER A TRANSFUSION, BUT WE HAD ALREADY SIGNED LEGAL PAPERS SAYING WE DENIED PERMISSION FOR ANY KIND OF MEDICAL INTERVENTION.

MALE TV REPORTER: ONE OF THE FASTERS, SONIA JOHNSON, IS NOW USING A WHEELCHAIR BECAUSE SHE FEELS SO WEAK, BUT ALL OF THE WOMEN SAY THERE ARE NO PLANS TO STOP NOW.

CURRY: YOU DON'T LOOK GOOD, HON.

HOW MANY DAYS IN WAS THIS?

JUNE 6TH IS PROBABLY... 18 DAYS.

18 DAYS WITHOUT FOOD.

YEAH, BUT THE REAL HUNGER PASSES AROUND 12, WHERE YOU--YOU JUST CAN'T IMAGINE, BUT NOW, YOU'RE BASICALLY SPACED OUT.

HOW DID YOU GUYS GET THROUGH IT?

I MEAN, DID YOU TALK ABOUT FOOD?

SONIA JUST THOUGHT-- FOOD WAS ALL SHE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.

THAT'S IT, ALL, AND IF SOMEBODY SAID, YOU KNOW, "LET US GO OVER THERE," AND SONIA WOULD GO, "LETTUCE?

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ON YOUR LETTUCE?

"HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR LETTUCE?

WHAT KIND OF LETTUCE?

BIBB LETTUCE?

ROMAINE LETTUCE?"

SO THAT WAS HER WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR.

WAS THAT TORTURING TO YOU OR WAS THAT ACTUALLY-- THERE'S NO TORTURE WHEN YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU WERE BORN TO DO.

CURRY: BUT THE WOMEN FACED MORE THAN HUNGER AND SICKNESS.

THEY FACED STAUNCH OPPOSITION FROM CONSERVATIVE ANTI-E.R.A.

CAMPAIGNERS.

ZOE: THERE WERE PEOPLE YELLING, "WITCHES," CALLING US NAMES.

THEY WOULD YELL, "GET HOME AND MAKE DINNER FOR YOUR HUSBAND!

WHO'S TAKING CARE OF YOUR KIDS?"

PEOPLE WOULD SPILL FOOD ON US, THEY WOULD ORDER PIZZAS TO GO FOR US, THEY WERE EATING CHOCOLATE BARS IN FRONT OF US, AS IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE AWAY EQUALITY FOR A LOUSY CHOCOLATE BAR.

A MAN WAS ARRESTED WITH OUR NAMES CARVED IN ONE OF 7 KNIVES, AND HE WAS DETAINED, BUT NEVER CHARGED.

YOU MEAN, HE WAS COMING TO HURT YOU?

KILL US.

CURRY: 36 DAYS INTO THEIR FAST, ILLINOIS VOTED ON THE AMENDMENT... AND REJECTED IT.

WITH THAT, THE CHANCE TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION WAS LOST.

TIME RAN OUT FOR THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT TODAY.

THE 24-WORD STATEMENT PLEDGING EQUALITY FOR WOMEN UNDER THE CONSTITUTION FELL 3 STATES SHORT OF RATIFICATION.

CURRY: THE DREAM THAT THE WOMEN HAD RISKED EVERYTHING TO REALIZE WAS OVER.

ZOE: IT WAS DEVASTATING.

WE WERE CRUSHED.

WE KNEW THAT IT MEANT THAT WE WOULD NOT BE PROTECTED UNDER THE LAW.

IT WAS INCOMPREHENSIBLE.

IT WAS LIKE ALL YOUR BLOOD DRAINED OUT.

IT'S LIKE ALL THE LIGHT IN THE ROOM WENT OUT.

WE HAD LOST THE BATTLE, THE WAR.

WE HAD LOST.

CURRY: BUT DESPITE THE DEFEAT, ZOE SAYS THE FAST CHANGED HER LIFE FOR THE BETTER.

ZOE: WHEN YOU OFFER TO DIE FOR SOMETHING, SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOU.

AND SO ALL THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE STEMS FROM THAT ONE MOMENT... [VOICE CRACKS] WHEN SONIA ASKED ME AND I SAID YES BECAUSE AT THAT MOMENT, I--I COULD NO LONGER THINK OF MYSELF AS SMALL OR UNABLE OR THAT I WASN'T REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT MY COMMITMENT TO CIVIL RIGHTS.

WE HAD FOUND A SISTERHOOD.

THAT WAS A CAMARADERIE THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN IN MY LIFE AND NEVER WILL.

CURRY: BUT ZOE AND SONIA WOULD FOLLOW DIFFERENT PATHS.

WHILE ZOE WENT ON TO BECOME AN AUTHOR AND ACTIVIST FOR EQUALITY, SONIA GRADUALLY RETREATED FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

ZOE: I WANT TO TELL HER THANK YOU.

I WANT TO TELL HER WHAT I'VE DONE WITH THIS.

I WANT TO TELL HER THE LIFE I'VE LIVED BECAUSE OF HER.

I OWE THAT TO HER.

CURRY: LYNN RIPPELMEYER IS SEARCHING FOR FELLOW PILOT EMILY JONES.

MORE THAN 40 YEARS AGO, THE TWO WOMEN MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST ALL-FEMALE CREW ON A SCHEDULED FLIGHT.

LYNN: AFTER THAT, I JOINED SEVERAL FEMALE PILOT ORGANIZATIONS AND WOULD ALWAYS LOOK FOR HER NAME, TO MEET UP WITH HER AGAIN AND FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER, BUT NEVER DID FIND HER.

CURRY: PERHAPS THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WILL HAVE A LEAD.

WITH MORE THAN A THOUSAND EMILY JONESES IN THE U.S., LYNN NEEDS TO NARROW HER SEARCH TO WOMEN IN AVIATION WITH THAT NAME.

WOMAN: HI.

LYNN?

LYNN: HI.

CURRY: LINDA SCHUMM IS THE DEPARTMENT'S BUREAU CHIEF OF AVIATION SAFETY AND EDUCATION.

LINDA: HOPEFULLY I CAN HELP YOU BECAUSE WE KEEP A LOT OF RECORDS HERE IN ILLINOIS ON PILOTS AND PILOT HISTORY, SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE FAA RECORDS, AND MAYBE WE CAN DIG THROUGH AND FIND THE RIGHT INFORMATION.

OK. AND WE'RE GONNA SEARCH THE WHOLE COUNTRY FOR EMILY JONES.

SO LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH HERE, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE ARE ONLY 12 EMILY JONESES IN THE FAA DATABASE.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S NOT BAD.

SO LET'S GO WITH THE FIRST EMILY JONES HERE.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

OK. SHE'S A FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

ON EMILY JONES NUMBER TWO... ALSO A FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

WOW.

HUH.

OK. THEN WE HAVE AN EMILY ANNE, AND SHE IS... A PRIVATE PILOT.

THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK.

NOPE.

HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?

EMILY MAXWELL... IS AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT.

OH!

THIS IS A GOOD ONE.

CURRY: THE DATABASE ALSO INCLUDES THE LICENSES THAT EACH PILOT HOLDS THAT ENTITLE THEM TO FLY CERTAIN PLANES.

SO WE'VE GOT AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT.

I'M NOT REALLY POSITIVE WHAT THAT IS.

HAWKER SIDDELEY, WHICH WOULD BE GOOD... COULD BE.

OK. BECAUSE AIR ILLINOIS HAD THOSE.

THAT WOULD BE NICE.

OK, AND ALSO A LEAR JET RATING.

THAT'S POSSIBLY WHERE SHE WENT AFTER THAT.

LYNN: OK, THIS IS HAVING POSSIBILITIES.

CURRY: THE EVIDENCE LOOKS PROMISING, BUT THEN LINDA AND LYNN HIT A PROBLEM.

LINDA: ADDRESS NOT AVAILABLE.

THAT COULD BE A LITTLE CHALLENGE.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I HAVE CONTACTS AT THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.

HOW ABOUT IF I REACH OUT TO THEM AND SEE IF MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN GIVE US SOMETHING TO GO OFF OF?

GREAT.

LINDA: WE WILL FIND HER... OK. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

LYNN: THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

I'M HOPING LINDA IS GOING TO COME BACK WITH SOME INFORMATION.

HOPEFULLY IT'S THE NEXT STEP, WHERE I CAN CONTACT EMILY AND ACTUALLY TALK WITH HER, BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP MY EXPECTATIONS REALISTIC AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

CURRY: MORE THAN 1,600 MILES AWAY, IN CALIFORNIA, ZOE NICHOLSON IS STARTING HER SEARCH FOR THE ACTIVIST WHO INSPIRED HER--SONIA JOHNSON.

WELCOME TO OUR LIBRARY.

THANK YOU.

CURRY: KATHRYN SORRELLS IS A PROFESSOR AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SPECIALIZING IN GENDER AND FEMINIST THEORY.

I ACTUALLY STUDIED SONIA WHEN I WAS IN MY PH.D.

PROGRAM, AND I THINK YOU CAN PROBABLY ADD EVEN MORE TO WHAT I KNOW, BUT OBVIOUSLY, SHE WAS A REALLY STRONG, RADICAL FEMINIST.

OF COURSE.

I HAVE FELT THE THREAD OF THAT EXPERIENCE.

I MEAN, SHE HAD AFFECTED MY LIFE SO DEEPLY.

WELL, I DID SOME RESEARCH, AND I FOUND AN AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH SONIA, QUITE RECENT, AND SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THE WORK YOU ALL DID FOR THE E.R.A., SO I'M GOING TO PLAY THAT.

SONIA, ON TAPE: I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY SAYING THAT DURING THAT FAST, WE ONLY DRANK WATER FOR ALL THAT TIME.

WE FASTED UNDER THE BANNER THAT SAID "WOMEN HUNGER FOR JUSTICE."

WHAT I DID IT FOR WAS BECAUSE THERE WERE WOMEN ALL OVER THIS WORLD WHO WOULD SEE THIS, AND THEY WOULD REALIZE THAT THERE WERE WOMEN WHO CONSIDERED THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN WORTHY OF GIVING OUR LIVES.

I HAVE A PASSIONATE HEART, AND I'D HAVE GIVEN MY LIFE AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN WITHOUT GIVING IT A THOUGHT.

[SNIFFLES] THAT'S SONIA.

YEAH.

CURRY: THE RECORDING OFFERS MORE THAN A CHANCE TO HEAR SONIA'S VOICE.

SONIA: ...WE SAID, "OK." WE COULDN'T THINK OF ANY PLACE TO GO IN THE UNITED STATES.

BUT THEN SOMEBODY EMAILED US ABOUT THIS WOMEN'S COMMUNITY IN ALABAMA.

AND THERE WERE 16 WOMEN, NO MALES ALLOWED, BUT ALABAMA.

YEAH, I MEAN, ALABAMA!

CURRY: THIS IS A CRITICAL CLUE.

ZOE NOW KNOWS WHERE SONIA WAS LIVING IN 2010 WHEN THE INTERVIEW WAS RECORDED.

KATHRYN: SO I'VE DONE SOME DIGGING, AND I HAVE AN ADDRESS FOR YOU WHERE YOU MIGHT WANT TO FOLLOW UP.

GREAT.

I'VE NEVER HAD, LIKE, EVEN A MAILING ADDRESS FOR HER.

THANKS SO MUCH.

ZOE: I GOT UP THIS MORNING WITH ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, AND I GOT TO MEET SOMEBODY WHO STUDIED SONIA, AND I GOT TO HEAR SONIA'S VOICE.

THIS WAS A BIG, BIG SURPRISE AND GIVES ME GREAT HOPE.

AND IT'S ALL ON THIS LITTLE YELLOW POST-IT IN MY WALLET.

IT'S WORTH MORE TO ME THAN... THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S EVER BEEN IN MY WALLET.

CURRY: SO FAR, LYNN RIPPELMEYER HAS HAD LESS LUCK IN HER SEARCH FOR EMILY JONES, THE AIRLINE CAPTAIN WHO HELPED INSPIRE HER OWN PIONEERING CAREER.

BUT SHE'S HOPING THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE.

THERE IS AN EMAIL HERE FROM LINDA.

CURRY: LINDA SCHUMM, FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR EMILY ON LYNN'S BEHALF.

LYNN: "I FOUND SOMEONE WHO KNEW EMILY JONES THAT WORKED "AT THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER IN AURORA, ILLINOIS.

"HE'S NOT SURE IF IT'S THE SAME EMILY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

"I HAVE GIVEN HIM YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION SO YOU CAN CONNECT.

"I HOPE THIS IS THE ONE.

BLUE SKIES, LINDA."

WELL, THAT'S GOOD.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING TO THIS GENTLEMAN TO SEE IF THIS IS THE SAME EMILY.

SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD NEXT STEP.

CURRY: THE MAN WHO THINKS HE MIGHT KNOW EMILY IS MIKE O'BRIEN... ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO.

THIS WAY, PLEASE.

THANKS.

CURRY: AIR TRAFFIC OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR AMERICAN AIRLINES.

MIKE: THERE WAS A WOMAN NAMED EMILY JONES WHO CAME AND WORKED AT THE CHICAGO AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER OUT IN AURORA.

OK. AND THE EMILY THAT I KNOW, ANYWAY, STARTED THERE IN 1982... OK. AND SHE WAS THERE UNTIL SHE RETIRED IN ABOUT 2008.

WELL, IF IT HELPS, I'VE GOT A PHOTO THAT MIGHT JOG YOUR MEMORY.

WELL, THAT WILL CERTAINLY HELP.

I AM 95% CERTAIN THIS IS THE SAME EMILY JONES THAT WORKED FOR ME IN THE FAA.

REALLY?

YES.

CURRY: AND THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS FOR LYNN.

I WENT THROUGH SOME OF MY OLD RECORDS, AND I DID FIND A LITTLE SCRAP OF PAPER.

THIS WAS HER PHONE NUMBER BACK IN 2008, 2009.

THANKS.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S STILL ACTIVE OR NOT.

I HAVEN'T TRIED IT.

IT JUST--YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I FOUND... OK. TO SEE IF YOU MIGHT WANT TO GIVE IT AN ATTEMPT.

CURRY: LYNN COULD BE MOMENTS AWAY FROM A BREAKTHROUGH... [LINE RINGING] RECONNECTING WITH THE CAPTAIN WHO HELPED INSPIRE HER TRAIL-BLAZING CAREER.

WOMAN, ON TAPE: SINCE NO ONE HAS ANSWERED, PLEASE LEAVE A SHORT MESSAGE AFTER THE TONE.

[BEEP] UM, EMILY, MY NAME'S LYNN RIPPELMEYER.

I'M WONDERING IF YOU'RE THE SAME EMILY WHO FLEW IN 1977 AT AIR ILLINOIS AS A TWIN OTTER CAPTAIN WHEN I WAS A FIRST OFFICER.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL BACK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.

THANK YOU.

BYE.

WELL, WE'LL SEE.

HER VOICE SOUNDS LIKE THE EMILY-- KIND OF LIKE THE EMILY THAT I REMEMBER, SO, UM, I WILL REMAIN CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.

CURRY: EQUAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND AUTHOR ZOE NICHOLSON IS ALSO FEELING OPTIMISTIC.

ZOE: I JUST GOT GOOSE BUMPS, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL HERE.

CURRY: ZOE HAS A LEAD IN HER SEARCH FOR ROLE MODEL SONIA JOHNSON.

ZOE: I FEEL A BIT LIKE HANSEL AND GRETEL.

WE'RE FOLLOWING BREAD CRUMBS.

CURRY: THE SEARCH IS TAKING HER DEEP INTO RURAL ALABAMA, TOWARDS A UNIQUE COMMUNITY OCCUPIED ENTIRELY BY WOMEN.

ZOE: THERE ARE WOMEN-ONLY COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND...MAYBE THIS IS THE ONE WHERE SHE LIVES.

I HOPE I GET TO HUG HER, IF I GET TO SEE HER.

I HOPE I'M WELCOME.

SO MANY IFS.

CURRY: SHE'S HOPING VETERAN RESIDENT RAND HALL MAY HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT SONIA'S WHEREABOUTS.

IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU.

COME ON IN.

ARE YOU SURE?

HA HA HA!

OH, I'M VERY SURE.

COME ON IN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WELCOME TO ALABAMA.

CURRY: LIKE MOST OF THE WOMEN HERE, RAND HAS CHOSEN TO LIVE OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.

THERE'S ONLY ONE WOMAN IN MY 70 YEARS THAT GAVE ME THE GIFT OF KNOWING THAT I'M WILLING TO DIE FOR EQUALITY.

AND I USE IT.

I WIELD IT LIKE A SWORD, I DON'T MIND SAYING.

AND OBVIOUSLY, THE PERSON TO WHOM I'M REFERRING IS SONIA JOHNSON.

WELL, SONIA IS AS DEAR TO ME AS SHE IS TO YOU AND JUST AS INSPIRING.

AND SONIA BUILT THE HOUSE THAT IS DIRECTLY THROUGH THE WOODS THERE.

I FEEL SUCH A SENSE OF URGENCY BECAUSE I KNOW HOW MUCH OLDER THAN ME SONIA IS, AND, UH, IT SOUNDS SO ABRUPT, BUT IS SHE STILL ALIVE?

OH, SHE'S VERY MUCH ALIVE.

WHAT YOU'RE SAYING... [SNIFFLES] [SIGHS] IS THAT I'M NOT TOO LATE?

OH, NO, SHE'S VERY MUCH ALIVE AND STILL DOING WONDERFUL WORK.

BUT I HAVE A HOPE, I HAVE A PRAYER THAT SHE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE HERE.

I'M SO SORRY TO TELL YOU THAT SHE NO LONGER LIVES HERE.

SHE LEFT HERE IN 2011.

I UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO SEE SONIA.

I'M HOPING.

AND I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M NOT SURE WHERE SHE IS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WILL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HER AND TO REACH HER SO THAT YOU CAN SEE HER AGAIN.

AND I KNOW IT WILL MEAN AS MUCH TO HER AS IT DOES TO YOU.

ZOE: TWO THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT THAT HAPPENED TODAY.

SONIA'S ALIVE.

[SIGHS] THAT'S A BIG DEAL TO ME, AND THERE'S A CHANCE SONIA MIGHT WANT TO SEE ME.

HA HA HA!

AND, UH, THAT'S... THAT MAKES THIS OLD GIRL SING.

CURRY: FOR LYNN RIPPELMEYER, THE SEARCH IS NEARLY OVER.

LYNN: THIS IS REALLY EXCITING.

IT'S THE CULMINATION OF THIS EFFORT, OF THIS HUNT THAT HAS TAKEN ME OVER HALF THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S EXCITING.

CURRY: LYNN LEFT A MESSAGE FOR EMILY JONES, NOT KNOWING IF IT WAS THE SAME EMILY WHO HELPED TO INSPIRE LYNN'S OWN HIGH-FLYING CAREER.

IT WAS, AND NOW, MORE THAN 40 YEARS AFTER THEY MADE HISTORY ON THE FIRST ALL-FEMALE SCHEDULED FLIGHT, IT IS TIME FOR LYNN AND EMILY TO MEET AGAIN.

EMILY?

HI!

[BOTH LAUGH] OH, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?

I'VE BEEN GREAT.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

I'M WONDERFUL, TOO, THANK YOU.

YOU LOOK LIKE EMILY.

EMILY: HAVE A SEAT.

LYNN: TO YOUR RIGHT, AS IT SHOULD BE.

EXACTLY.

OH, MY GOSH.

OH, MY GOSH.

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE SITTING RIGHT HERE.

WELL, I'M HAVING THE SAME REACTION.

HA HA HA!

PART OF MY BRAIN'S GOING, "REALLY?"

HA HA HA!

REALLY?

I WAS VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO FLY WITH YOU THAT FIRST TIME.

YEAH.

AND I DON'T KNOW.

DO YOU REMEMBER-- I DON'T REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT THAT TRIP.

I'VE GOT A LOG BOOK.

DO YOU WANT TO SEE?

AH.

CAN I SEE?

WOW.

YEAH, YEAH.

DECEMBER 30, THAT WE FINALLY GOT TO FLY TOGETHER.

SO IT TOOK 3 MONTHS OF ALL OF US BEING THERE-- SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER-- FLYING WITH ALL THE OTHER CAPTAINS UNTIL THEY FINALLY, WELL, LET US, OR WE GOT TO FLY TOGETHER.

THAT'S REMARKABLE.

HERE'S THE ONE I WANT TO SHOW YOU, THOUGH.

THAT'S OUR AIRPLANE.

YES, RIGHT.

AND THIS IS US.

OH, MY GOSH.

I WOULD HAVE WANTED TO POKE MYSELF IN THE NOSE.

HA HA HA!

WHY?

HA HA!

I REALLY THOUGHT THAT I WAS SOMETHING.

I WAS-- WELL, YOU--YOU WERE SOMETHING TO ME.

I MEAN, YOU WERE THE FIRST FEMALE CAPTAIN.

ONLY OTHER FEMALE PILOT THAT I KNEW PERSONALLY AT THE TIME WAS YOU, AND AS A CAPTAIN.

THAT WAS SOMETHING, TO HEAR HER POINT OF VIEW ABOUT HOW AWE-INSPIRING IT WAS.

I THOUGHT, "I AM AWE-INSPIRING?"

HA HA HA HA!

CURRY: BUT EMILY'S OWN STORY IS EQUALLY AWE-INSPIRING.

FOR HER, LIKE LYNN, BECOMING A CAPTAIN MEANT BREAKING THROUGH THE WALL OF DISCRIMINATION AND PREJUDICE.

SHE GREW UP ON A FARM NEXT TO AN AIRFIELD, AND THIS SPARKED HER FASCINATION WITH FLYING.

IN 1968, EMILY JOINED THE AIR FORCE, BUT WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TRAIN AS PILOTS.

UNDETERRED, SHE TOOK PRIVATE LESSONS, EVENTUALLY BECOMING AN INSTRUCTOR AND FULLY QUALIFIED PILOT BEFORE JOINING AIR ILLINOIS AS A CAPTAIN IN 1977.

FROM THERE, EMILY WENT ON TO FLY CORPORATE JETS AND FINISHED HER CAREER AS AN AIR TRAFFIC FLOW ANALYST.

LYNN: WELL, THERE WAS A LOT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW.

WE DIDN'T ASK EACH OTHER, REALLY, WHAT BROUGHT US TO AIR ILLINOIS, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVEN'T ASKED EACH OTHER WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST 40 YEARS SINCE, SO THIS WAS ALL NEW INFORMATION.

WE HAVE 40 YEARS OF CATCHING UP TO DO, AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED ON HER HISTORY.

I WOULD WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT SHE'S BEEN DOING AND HER FAMILY AND ALL, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET 40 YEARS GO BY NOW-- HA HA!--AGAIN.

HA HA!

BUT THEY WERE A VERY BUSY 40 YEARS, AND A LOT GOING ON FOR BOTH OF US, SO-- BUT I'M GLAD TO RE-ESTABLISH A CONNECTION RIGHT NOW.

OK, I CAN'T LET THE OPPORTUNITY GO BY TO NOT SAY THANKS.

I DON'T KNOW--I'M SURE I DIDN'T DO THAT WHILE WE WERE THERE, AND I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING TO SAY GOOD-BYE BEFORE I LEFT... NO.

BUT, I DON'T KNOW, YOU WERE A CAPTAIN.

I MEAN, AND THEY HAD ALWAYS TOLD ME, "OK, WELL YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE A PILOT, "BUT THEN YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET TO BE A CAPTAIN.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET A WOMAN BE A CAPTAIN."

AND HERE YOU WERE, DOING WHAT THEY TOLD ME I WAS NEVER GOING TO GET TO DO, SO, THANKS; I MEAN, YOU WERE A MENTOR, YOU WERE AN EXAMPLE.

OH, I WAS?

WOW.

YOU WERE-- [SIGHS] THANK--THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELL, IT'S MY PLEASURE, AND I FEEL GREATLY HONORED TO HAVE KNOWN YOU IN YOUR BEGINNING YEARS AND TO HAVE PLAYED A PART IN YOUR GREATER SUCCESS LATER ON.

OK.

SO I JUST--I HOPE I COULD BE HELPFUL TO YOU IN SOME WAY, AND...I'M HAPPY IF I WAS.

SO, I'M JUST--I WAS VERY PROUD TO SAY, "WELL, I KNEW HER BACK THEN, YOU KNOW."

HA HA!

CURRY: TOGETHER, LYNN AND EMILY DID MORE THAN MAKE HISTORY.

THEY BLAZED A TRAIL FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

WHEN THEY MADE THEIR HISTORIC FLIGHT IN 1977, THERE WERE FEWER THAN 100 FEMALE AIRLINE PILOTS IN THE WORLD.

BUT OPPORTUNITIES HAVE IMPROVED FOR WOMEN OVER THE YEARS.

TODAY, THERE ARE MORE THAN 8,000 FEMALE AIRLINE PILOTS, AND THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING.

I'M VERY PROUD THAT WE WERE THERE TOGETHER TO DO THAT, AND I'M PROUD TO HAVE KNOWN HER, IN LIGHT OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

WELL, I GUESS THE FACT THAT WE'RE LINKED TOGETHER FOREVER IN HISTORY, IT MAKES IT SPECIAL, IT MAKES HER A VERY SPECIAL PERSON IN MY LIFE.

CURRY: FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS, ZOE NICHOLSON HAS LONGED TO SEE FELLOW EQUAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST SONIA JOHNSON.

ZOE: I'M FEELING A BIT OVERWHELMED, SORTING OUT IN MY HEAD WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN, TO MEET SONIA AFTER ALL THIS TIME.

CURRY: SONIA'S FORMER NEIGHBOR RAND HAS REACHED OUT TO HER AND ARRANGED FOR THE TWO WOMEN TO MEET.

ZOE: SHE'S BEEN OFF THE GRID FOR SO LONG AND SO UNAVAILABLE, SO CLEARLY UNAVAILABLE, THAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, FOR HER TO SAY YES IS AN EXTRAORDINARY GIFT.

CURRY: NOW THE MOMENT HAS FINALLY COME FOR ZOE AND SONIA TO REUNITE.

SONIA?

OH... OH, ZOE.

[CHUCKLING] OH, MY.

HERE I AM.

HERE YOU--YOU KNOW, I OFTEN WONDERED WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU IF I EVER HAD THE CHANCE TO DO IT AGAIN.

[CHUCKLES] COME SIT DOWN HERE.

LET'S TALK.

I'M REALLY ANXIOUS TO SAY TO YOU A FEW THINGS.

I REALLY WASN'T CERTAIN YOU'D WANT TO SEE ME.

WELL, I WASN'T CERTAIN YOU'D WANT TO SEE ME.

ALL RIGHT, THAT'S JUST RIDICULOUS NOW.

HA HA HA!

THAT IS JUST TOTALLY RIDICULOUS.

I AM BLESSED TO SEE YOU.

ZOE, IF I WERE A CRYING WOMAN, I WOULD JUST BURST INTO TEARS TO SEE YOU.

WELL, I AM A CRYING WOMAN, AND I CAN CRY ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US.

YOU KNOW, I HAD TALKED TO A HUNDRED WOMEN TRYING TO GET THEM TO DO THAT FAST.

NOW, ALL OF THEM THOUGHT IT WAS TOO SCARY, BUT YOU SAID, "I WANT TO DO THIS."

I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, SHE'S GOING TO THINK, "THIS IS CRAZY.

I MEAN, WE'LL DIE."

WELL, IT IS CRAZY, AND MAYBE WE WOULD HAVE DIED, BUT DID I CARE?

NO, NOT AT ALL.

NEVER WILL.

FEARLESS.

YOU WERE FEARLESS.

I STILL AM.

HOWEVER, NOT TILL YOU DID I REALIZE THE STRENGTH, THE COMMITMENT THAT I AM CAPABLE OF.

I HAD TO FIND YOU AND TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE OF YOU, I KNOW THAT I AM A PERSON WHO IS WILLING TO DIE FOR MY BELIEFS.

SONIA, VOICE-OVER: IT WAS VERY TOUCHING.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE FELT THAT WAY OR--WELL, I JUST-- I WAS STUNNED BY SOME OF THE THINGS SHE SAID.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

CURRY: AFTER LOSING THE E.R.A.

VOTE, SONIA CONTINUED HER FIGHT FOR EQUALITY.

SHE EVEN RAN FOR PRESIDENT IN 1984.

BUT AS THE YEARS WENT BY, SONIA GRADUALLY RETREATED FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

SONIA: IT WAS LIKE THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT DIED RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES.

ZOE: YES.

I WAS IN SUCH PAIN ABOUT THAT.

YOU KNOW, WE WERE GOING TO MAKE A NEW WORLD.

THERE-- NOTHING WAS HAPPENING, SO I THOUGHT, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

MAYBE I'LL JUST BE SOMEBODY ELSE."

SO I HAD CHANGED MY NAME AND JUST KIND OF GOT OVER MY BROKEN HEART-- WELL, LIVED WITH MY BROKEN HEART.

CURRY: BUT WHILE SONIA AND ZOE RECOVERED FROM THE PAIN OF THEIR DEFEAT, THE IMPACT OF THEIR ACTIONS RIPPLED OUT.

WHAT DO WE WANT?

CROWD: EQUAL RIGHTS!

WHEN DO WE WANT IT?

NOW!

THE FACT THAT WOMEN ARE NOT PROTECTED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION IS THE MOST ABSURD THING I'VE EVER HEARD.

CURRY: A NEW GENERATION OF WOMEN STEPPED UP TO CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY... WOMAN 2: WE WANT TO TURN THE SLOGAN OF ME TOO INTO THE REALITY OF A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT WILL ACTUALLY MEAN PROTECTIONS AND SUPPORT TO AMERICAN WOMEN.

YES!

CURRY: MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS AN EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

ON MAY 30, 2018, IN THE VERY SAME BUILDING WHERE ZOE AND SONIA FASTED, THE STATE OF ILLINOIS FINALLY VOTED TO RATIFY THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT.

LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY.

WE LIVED TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY.

YES.

WE USED TO SAY THE FUTURE IS FEMALE.

WELL, THE PRESENT IS NOW FEMALE.

YES.

WE ARE LIVING IN A NEW WORLD THAT WE HELPED TO MAKE.

[BOTH LAUGH] CURRY: NOW ZOE INTENDS TO KEEP ON FIGHTING AND KEEP IN TOUCH WITH SONIA.

LOOK AT THAT.

OH, NO.

IS THAT ME?

YEAH.

ZOE: I AM NOT FOLLOWING BREAD CRUMBS ANYMORE, AS I HAVE BEEN.

I ACTUALLY HAVE A MAILING ADDRESS, I ACTUALLY HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS.

SONIA: I JUST LOOK AWFUL.

YEAH, YOU WERE SICKLY FOR MUCH OF THE FAST.

SONIA, VOICE-OVER: OH, IT'S ALWAYS MOVING TO FIND OUT THAT SOMEBODY LOVES YOU AND LOVES YOU SO MUCH AND HAS LOVED YOU SO LONG.

ZOE: DAY 25, YOU HAD PASSED OUT.

THAT'S SCARY-LOOKING, ISN'T IT?

SONIA, VOICE-OVER: SHE MADE ME FEEL THAT MY LIFE WAS IMPORTANT.

YOU CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING BUT JUST A LOT OF JOY ABOUT THAT.

SONIA: THAT'S ALL OF US.

ZOE: THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PICTURE HERE.

LOOK AT THEM... ZOE: TO LAY MY EYES ON THE WOMAN WHO GAVE ME THE COURAGE TO BE FEARLESS IN THE FACE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE DEMANDS WAS SO THRILLING, AND I WILL FOREVER NOW HAVE ALL THIS IN MY MIND, FINDING INSPIRATION AND CARRYING ON FOR AS LONG AS I CAN.

OH, CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH YOU'VE MEANT TO ME TODAY.

YOU BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.

CURRY: TWO PIONEERING WOMEN RECEIVED THE GIFT OF INSPIRATION THAT GAVE THEM THE STRENGTH TO TAKE A STAND AND MAKE A CHANGE.

AND THEY'RE STILL FIGHTING FOR A BETTER WORLD, NOT JUST FOR THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO FOR OTHERS.

ANNOUNCER: TO ORDER "WE'LL MEET AGAIN" ON DVD, VISIT SHOPPBS OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.

THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.

IS THERE SOMEONE FROM YOUR PAST WHO YOU WANT TO MEET AGAIN?

SHARE YOUR STORY AT PBS.ORG/MEETAGAIN.