The La Guardia Lecture Series: Hon. Bella Abzug

Bella Abzug stands with Shirley Chisholm, Betty Friedan, and Gloria Steinem as one of the most important figures in the womens rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Throughout her life, Bella, a Hunter College/CUNY alumnus, was known for her loud voice, flamboyant style, and large hats. She began her professional career as a lawyer in the 1940s and became a noted advocate for numerous liberal and leftist causes. These included civil rights cases in the South and cases related to the advancement of womens rights. By the late 1960s, she had become a vocal critic of the Vietnam War. In 1971 she was elected to serve New Yorks 19th District in the House of Representatives where she served until 1977. Her tenure in Congress was notable for her unflinching support of womens rights. She was one of the loudest and most visible supporters of reproductive rights and the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1977 she competed in the contentious primary for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York City, eventually losing to future mayor Ed Koch. After several failed bids for various Congressional seats, Abzug retired from elected office. Though she never again held elected office after 1977, she remained an important figure in politics, womens rights, and social justice causes until her death in 1998. (Video edited by Samuel Lieberman)