Coffee Klatch

Following WWII, US government assistance helped white families establish homes in new suburban developments. The coffee klatch, or get-together, was a way for housewives to avoid social isolation. Such groups were the launching pad for the presidential campaign of conservative Barry Goldwater in 1964. In the 1970s, many evolved into consciousness-raising groups in the emerging women’s liberation movement. They were also the model for women-hosted TV talk shows.