Claire Shulman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Claire Shulman
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Shulman in 2012
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| 17th Borough President of Queens | |
| In office February 11, 1986 – January 1, 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Donald Manes |
| Succeeded by | Helen M. Marshall |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Claire Kantoff
February 23, 1926 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 16, 2020 (aged 94) Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 3; including Ellen S. Baker |
| Residences | Beechhurst, Queens, New York |
| Alma mater | Adelphi University |
| Occupation | Nurse, politician |
Claire Shulman (born Kantoff; February 23, 1926 – August 16, 2020) was an important American politician and a registered nurse from New York City. She worked as a nurse before getting involved in politics. Claire Shulman made history as the first woman to become the Borough President of Queens. She served in this big role for many years, from 1986 to 2002.
Contents
Claire Shulman's Story
Early Life and Education
Claire Shulman was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 23, 1926. She went to Adelphi University and became a registered nurse. Before she started her political career, she worked as a nurse. She met her future husband, Mel Shulman, who was a doctor, while they were both working at Queens Hospital Center.
A Career in Public Service
Claire Shulman first became active in her community in 1955. She joined the Bayside Mother's Club. She was very involved in community activities in Queens. In 1966, she was chosen to be part of a community board. She later became the chairwoman of that board.
In 1972, she started working for the Queens Borough President, Donald Manes. She was his director of community boards. Later, in 1980, she became his deputy. When the Borough President resigned in 1986, Claire Shulman stepped in. She was elected Borough President by a unanimous vote from the New York City Council members from Queens on March 12.
She then won elections by popular vote. She was elected to finish the rest of the term that year. After that, she won four-year terms in 1989, 1993, and 1997. She could not run for re-election in 2001 because of term limits. Term limits mean a person can only serve a certain number of times. Helen Marshall took over as Borough President on January 3, 2002.
Making a Difference in Queens
Claire Shulman was known for being a strong supporter of many important issues. These included growing the economy, solving airport problems, and protecting the environment. For example, she helped get money to build the Queens Hospital Center. She also helped create 30,000 new school places for students.
In 1987, she helped find a solution for a city plan to build more middle-income apartment buildings. Some neighborhoods with mostly single-family homes were against this plan. Claire Shulman worked with them and made sure that twelve of these areas in Queens were not included in the new building plan.
Community Involvement and Later Years
Claire Shulman was a member of the boards of directors for New York Hospital Queens and St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children. She also helped the Queens Zoo get its first bald eagle. The zoo's current bald eagles, Mel and Claire II, are named after her and her husband.
In her later life, Claire Shulman helped start the Flushing Willets Point Corona Local Development Corporation. She was its president and CEO. This group worked to help redevelop the neighborhood of Willets Point, Queens. They wanted to improve the area and bring new businesses. There were rules about reporting these kinds of activities, and her organization faced a fine for not filing all the required reports on time.
Family Life
Claire Shulman and her husband, Melvin Shulman, lived in Beechhurst, Queens, New York. They had three children. Their daughter, Ellen S. Baker, is an astronaut. She traveled to space three times on the Space Shuttle. One of her trips included docking with the Russian space station Mir.
Their son, Lawrence Shulman, is a medical oncologist. This means he is a doctor who treats cancer. He works at the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Their adopted son, Kim Shulman, worked in television and movies. He sadly passed away in 2001.
Health and Passing
Claire Shulman passed away on August 16, 2020, at her home in Beechhurst, Queens. She was 94 years old. Before she passed away, she supported Donovan Richards for the 2020 Queens Borough presidency.
See also
In Spanish: Claire Shulman para niños
