People: Feb. 21, 1969

It was only a probing action, but it shook the very foundations of the fortress. Since 1907, the Oak Room of Manhattan's venerable Plaza Hotel has been an all-male bastion for three hours every weekday at lunchtime. Until last week, that is, when 15 members of the National Organization for Women, led by that superfeminist Betty Friedan (The Feminine Mystique), 47, demanded entrance on the ground that their civil rights were being violated. Five of the ladies actually managed to brush by a Plaza assistant manager and the maitre d' to capture a...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!