Geraldine Ferraro

Geraldine Ferraro
Rebecca Roth · Public domain · source
Name	Geraldine Ferraro
Caption	Official portrait, c. 1984
Office	Vice Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party
Term start	July 19, 1984
Term end	November 6, 1984
Nominee	Walter Mondale
Predecessor	Walter Mondale
Successor	Lloyd Bentsen
Office1	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
Term start1	January 3, 1979
Term end1	January 3, 1985
Predecessor1	James Delaney
Successor1	Thomas J. Manton
Constituency1	9th district
Birth name	Geraldine Anne Ferraro
Birth date	26 August 1935
Birth place	Newburgh, New York
Death date	26 March 2011
Death place	Boston, Massachusetts
Party	Democratic
Spouse	John Zaccaro (m. 1960)
Children	3, including Donna Zaccaro
Education	Marymount Manhattan College (BA), Fordham University (JD)
Occupation	Lawyer, politician, diplomat

Geraldine Ferraro was an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who made history as the first female vice-presidential nominee of a major American political party. Selected by Walter Mondale as his running mate on the Democratic ticket in the 1984 presidential election, she shattered a significant political barrier. Though the ticket lost decisively to the Republican incumbents, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, her candidacy became a landmark moment for women in American politics. Ferraro had previously served three terms in the United States House of Representatives representing a district in Queens, New York City.

Early life and education

Geraldine Anne Ferraro was born in Newburgh, New York, to Italian-American parents, Dominick and Antonetta Ferraro. Her father, a restaurant owner, died when she was eight, and her mother worked as a crocheter to support the family. Ferraro attended Marymount Manhattan College, graduating with a degree in English in 1956. She then worked as a public school teacher in the New York City Public Schools system while attending Fordham University School of Law at night. She earned her Juris Doctor in 1960, one of only two women in her graduating class, and was admitted to the New York State Bar Association.

Legal and early political career

After law school, Ferraro worked in private practice, handling civil and criminal cases. Her political involvement began with volunteer work for local Democratic candidates in Queens. In 1974, she was appointed an assistant district attorney in Queens County, where she headed the new Special Victims Bureau, prosecuting cases of child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse. This high-profile role established her reputation as a tough, effective advocate and brought her to the attention of the Queens Democratic Party organization.

U.S. House of Representatives

Ferraro was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1978, representing New York's 9th congressional district. In Congress, she served on the influential Public Works and Transportation Committee and the Budget Committee. She was a staunch advocate for women's rights, sponsoring the Economic Equity Act, and worked on legislation concerning pension reform and housing. She also served as the secretary of the House Democratic Caucus, a leadership position.

1984 vice presidential candidacy

At the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco, Walter Mondale selected Ferraro as his vice-presidential running mate, a historic first. Her nomination energized the Democratic base and brought intense national scrutiny. She campaigned vigorously, debating Vice President George H. W. Bush in a single, highly watched vice-presidential debate. The campaign, however, was hampered by controversies over her and her husband John Zaccaro's finances and tax returns. The Mondale-Ferraro ticket lost in a landslide to Ronald Reagan and Bush, carrying only Minnesota and the District of Columbia.

Later career and public life

After leaving Congress in 1985, Ferraro remained a prominent public figure. She practiced law, authored books including *Ferraro: My Story*, and served as a co-host on CNN's *Crossfire*. She was a permanent public delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights under President Bill Clinton. She made two unsuccessful bids for the United States Senate, losing in the 1992 Democratic primary to Elizabeth Holtzman and later to Charles Schumer, and in 1998 for the nomination. She later served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights from 1993 to 1996.

Personal life and death

Ferraro married real estate developer John Zaccaro in 1960; they had three children, including filmmaker Donna Zaccaro. The family lived in Forest Hills, Queens. In 1998, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, and became a vocal advocate for cancer research. Geraldine Ferraro died of complications from the disease on March 26, 2011, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Queens. Her legacy is widely recognized as paving the way for future female candidates, most notably Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. Category:American lawyers Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from New York Category:Democratic Party vice presidential nominees