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"Sisters are supposed to have a lot in common, but the eight-year age difference between my older sister and me opened a chasm of different life experiences."

For these sisters, Title IX's 1972 passage triggered profound changes. "We'll always be sisters but differences in our ages and, just as important, the changes wrought by Title IX defined who we were and who we have become," writes Christine Moriarty.

Today, on the 50th anniversary of the law, we're reflecting on the stories and lives of trailblazing women. Plus, 'The Queen of Basketball,' the true story of the first woman officially drafted by the NBA.

Highlighted Stories

50 Years Later: My Sister, Title IX and Me


On the 50th anniversary of the landmark equal-opportunity law's passage, a look at how it shaped the lives of two girls in one family
READ MORE

When Women Broke Down Locker Room Doors


'Let Them Wear Towels' looks at how a group of reporters fought for equal access in the male-dominated world of professional sports
READ MORE

Geena Davis On The Impact of 'Thelma & Louise'


Our interview with Geena Davis on the iconic film and her campaign for equal representation of women in media
READ MORE

Radio Revolution: The 'Founding Mothers' of NPR


Remembering the radio network's early days featuring Susan Stamberg, Nina Totenberg, Linda Wertheimer and Cokie Roberts
READ MORE

The Queen of Basketball 

Decades before the WNBA was founded, Lusia “Lucy” Harris put her name in the history books.

The pioneering athlete made history as the only woman to be officially drafted by the NBA and the first woman to score a basket in the history of Olympic women's basketball. The New York Times chronicled Harris' life in their documentary, 'The Queen of Basketball.'

Harris started playing college basketball in 1973, just one year after the passage of Title IX. And in the 1970s, during a time when female athletes had few professional opportunities, Harris become a basketball phenomenon.

"If I was a man, there would have been options for me to go further and play," she said. "I would have been able to do a lot of things that I would have wanted to do. Yeah, they're millionaires, famous. But I wanted to grow up and shoot that ball just like they would shoot it, and I did."

On January 18, Harris died unexpectedly in Mississippi at the age of 66. You can watch the full documentary on YouTube.

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