Dedication.(Brief Article)

She was a founding mother of the women's movement, a visionary and outspoken feminist, a politician whose roots were in peace and social justice, an irrepressible advocate for global feminism, a winner of the Center's Jessie Bernard Wise Women award in 1995, a sister, a friend -- Bella.

When Bella Abzug died on March 31, 1998, the world's women mourned. Because Bella used her celebrity to improve the lives of women and to protect human rights, peace, and the environment. Because Bella fearlessly challenged and confronted entrenched political interests and patriarchal institutions. Because Bella gave us courage by her example -- speaking out and standing firm. Because Bella never compromised her feminist vision and principles -- even when others were willing to do so in the face of the right wing assault. And Bella was never silent. "Never hesitate to tell the truth. Never give in and never give up," she told us.

Born in the year that women won the right to vote, Bella helped to change the political landscape for women in the United States. A dozen years before the 1992 "Year of the Woman" brought record numbers of women to Congress, Bella, then 50 years old, ran for the House -- and won. Her campaign slogan -- "This woman's place is in the House -- the House of Representatives" -- became an indelible part of the political landscape. And her effectiveness and principled positions set the standard for a later generation of women political leaders.

As a Congresswoman, Bella championed the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion rights, and child care legislation. When the Center for Women Policy Studies conducted ground breaking research on sex discrimination in the granting of credit, Bella used the findings in the fight for passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which made it illegal to deny credit on the basis of sex. ...