Lynda Van Scoyoc Women's Feminist Papers Collection

The latter half of the twentieth century has seen vast changes for women both socially and politically. While the development of women's political caucuses played a large role, the change in women's rights would not have come about without the efforts of the women who participated in these organizations. Locally, Lynda Van Scoyoc was one of those many women's rights advocates, having worked to establish womens' voices in the world of politics for three decades.

Lynda Van Scoyoc's work began in the early 1970's with the Orlando Police Officer's Auxiliary, serving as the organization's Vice President. As her husband was himself an area police officer, Van Scoyoc helped develop training programs for police officer's wives. These training programs were meant to educate women as well to help them to understand the rigors and demands of being a police officer.

During a 1975 trip to Tallahassee, Florida for an Equal Rights Amendment event that Van Scoyoc and others would begin to develop the Metropolitan Orlando Women's Political Caucus (MOWPC). Working with the Florida Women's Political Caucus (FLWPC), the MOWPC was formed later that year and installed Van Scoyoc as its first president. Through her involvement as founder of the MOWPC, Van Scoyoc became active at the national level, serving on the National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) Membership Committee from 1985-1987, serving as the NWPC's fund-raising chair from 1987-1989, as well as being the NWPC's Delegate-at-Large and serving on the Administrative Committee from 1989-1993.

Lynda Van Scoyoc passed away at the Orlando Regional Medical Center on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Burial service was held on May 14 at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Gotha, Florida.