Carol Greitzer facts for kids

Carol Greitzer (born January 3, 1925) is an American politician. She served on the New York City Council for many years, from 1969 to 1991. She was also the first president of NARAL ... America, an organization that supports women's health and choices.

About Carol Greitzer

Carol Greitzer was born in Manhattan, New York City, on January 3, 1925. She grew up in the north Bronx. Her father, Harry Hutter, loved learning about New York City's history. He often took her sightseeing, which made her love the city too.

Greitzer went to Hunter College. Later, she earned a master's degree in English Literature from NYU.

She moved to New York's Greenwich Village neighborhood with her first husband, Herman Greitzer. They later divorced. In November 1990, she married lawyer Joshua S. Vogel. Carol Greitzer still lives in Greenwich Village today.

Her Journey into Politics

Carol Greitzer believes that moving to Greenwich Village helped her become active in politics. She joined the Greenwich Village Association. After helping with a campaign for Adlai Stevenson II, she became a member of the Village Independent Democrats in 1956.

In 1960, she ran for president of the Village Independent Democrats. She won against Ed Koch. In 1961, Greitzer decided to run for district leader. At that time, this role was split into two: a male district leader and a female district leader.

Protecting Historic Places

Greitzer became very involved in protecting old buildings and organizing communities. One of her first big successes was saving the Jefferson Market Courthouse. She worked with Philip Wittenberg and Margot Gayle. They organized local leaders and even children from the community. Their goal was to turn the courthouse into a library.

Their efforts worked! The building was saved from being torn down. Today, it is still standing as the Jefferson Market Library.

Greitzer also played a big part in a plan to remove cars and buses from Washington Square Park. In 1963, she worked with Shirley Hayes and Ed Koch. They argued that removing traffic would create a better outdoor space for children. It would also help reduce air pollution. Their hard work paid off. Greitzer joined Koch to symbolically push the last bus out of Washington Square Park.

Serving on the City Council

When Ed Koch left his New York City Council job in 1969, Carol Greitzer decided to run for the open seat. She won the election. She became a New York City Councilwoman, representing Greenwich Village and other downtown areas.

Greitzer served as a Councilwoman for 22 years. Her time on the Council began in 1969 and ended in 1991. She lost her Council seat to Charles Millard that year.

After the Stonewall riots happened nearby, Greitzer met with members of the Gay Activists Alliance. These meetings took place in May 1970.

Advocating for Women's Rights

Greitzer's activism continued throughout her time on the City Council. She became more and more involved with issues important to women. She became active in New York's movement for women's health and choices. She started working with NARAL. ..... Greitzer worked closely with politician Percy Sutton. He also supported women's choices. Together, they pushed for laws in New York state that supported these rights.

On September 27, 1969, NARAL's board of directors voted Greitzer as their president. As president, she worked with other women's rights activists. These included Shirley Chisholm, Lana Clark Phelan, Lee Gidding, and Lucinda Cisler. In 1972, Greitzer attended the Democratic National Convention. She was a representative for George McGovern. At the convention, Greitzer worked with other feminists. They argued that women and their health choices needed to be an important issue for the Democratic party.

Helping Start a Women's Bank

Besides her activism, Carol Greitzer helped create the New York First Women's Bank. In 1973, Greitzer worked with Evelyn Lehman, Jane Trahey, Eileen Preiss, Sarah Kovner, Carol Opton, Betty Friedan, Sheldon Goldstein, and Philip Sills. They worked to establish the bank and provide money for it.

This bank inspired groups in other cities across the country. They opened their own women's banks. These banks offered financial advice, workshops, and jobs for women.

In 1989, the First Women's Bank changed its name to the First New York Bank for Business. They said that over time, there was less need for banking specifically for one gender.

See also

• J. Raymond Jones