Groups gather in Denver to celebrate 50th anniversary of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act

Monday marked 50 years since the signing of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and in Denver a series of groups met downtown to celebrate the anniversary.

The act made it illegal for banks to discriminate based on sex or marital status and was soon expanded to include race, religion, national origin, age and other groups. Part of the act allowed for women to take out a loan and get their own credit cards.

The celebration took place Monday at the Equitable Building and included members of the Denver Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Women's Education Foundation and the nonprofit Project I See You.

"We are coming together with all of us -- organizations, businesses, individuals -- to say yes it's been 50 years of women in ownership, but we want to see that continue on for way beyond 50," said Mercy Tucker, founder and executive director of Project I See You.

In 1978 the Equitable Building was the site of one of the country's first women's banks where women could open a bank account without a male co-signer.