Bella Abzug Way (Manhattan)
Present name:None
Location:At the northwest corner of Bank Avenue and Greenwich Avenue
Honoree: Bella Abzug (1920-1988) was a leading liberal activist and politician, especially known for her work for women’s rights. From 1971 to 1977 she represented Greenwich Village and other parts of lower Manhattan in Congress. She lived and worked at 37 Bank Street for over 40 years. She was admitted to the New York Bar in 1947 and began a civil rights law practice, opening a Day Care Center in her first office at the Duplex on Christopher Street. As a Congresswoman, she was active in labor law; a founder of the National and State New Democratic Coalition; and helped create the Women Strike for Peace Movement. In 1975, she made history when she introduced the first gay rights bill in Congress. She spoke out against poverty, racism and violence and was co-chair of the National Advisory Committee for Women. In 1977, she made a bid for mayor but lost to Ed Koch in the primaries. She helped found the National Women’s Political Caucus, and wrote legislation making it illegal to discriminate against women trying to get credit, credit cards, loans and mortgages. She also co-authored the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts. In 1994 she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY. (Johnson)
LL:2017/237