Betty Friedan was an American writer and activist who helped found the feminist movement in the United States in the 1960s. She died on February 4, 2006 in Washington D.C. of congestive heart failure at the age of 85. She is most known for writing The Feminine Mystique in 1963, which challenged the traditional view of women and their role in society. She also co-founded the National Organization for Women and helped found the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws to further advance women's rights.