Raising Equality: How the Moffitts’ Upbringing Changed Women’s Sports
The Center for Women’s History’s installation turns a spotlight on the adoring relationship between Billie Jean King and her brother, and how their egalitarian upbringing shaped women’s sports.
The Center for Women’s History’s installation turns a spotlight on the adoring relationship between Billie Jean King and her brother, and how their egalitarian upbringing shaped women’s sports.
4th floor, Joyce B. Cowin Women's History Niche
Billie Jean King’s name is synonymous with the fight for equal rights for women. Her clear vision was rooted in her upbringing by her “strict but loving” parents, Betty and Bill Moffitt. The Moffitts encouraged Billie Jean and her young brother, Randy, to be equally competitive and athletic. Both achieved their dreams of becoming professional athletes: Randy, who passed away in August 2025, played in Major League Baseball for 12 years, and Billie Jean became one of the most decorated tennis players of her generation. The equal treatment King received at home was a sharp contrast to what she had experienced as a rising tennis star, leading to her lifelong commitment to changing the world for others like her.
With never-before-seen family photos and ephemera, the Center for Women’s History’s installation Raising Equality turns a spotlight on the adoring relationship of the Moffitt siblings and how their egalitarian upbringing shaped women’s sports.
Exhibitions at The New York Historical are made possible by Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang and Oscar Tang, the Saunders Trust for American History, the Evelyn & Seymour Neuman Fund, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. WNET is the media sponsor.
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