Geraldine Ferraro Biography Quotes 30 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Geraldine Anne Ferraro was born on August 26, 1935, in Newburgh, New York, the daughter of Italian immigrants. Her father, Domenick, died when she was young, and her mother, Antonetta, supported the family as a seamstress and small business owner. The experience of loss and financial strain shaped Ferraro's pragmatism and determination. She worked hard in school, won scholarships, and graduated from Marymount Manhattan College. After college she taught in New York City public schools while attending Fordham University School of Law at night, earning her law degree and admission to the New York bar. That combination of classroom experience and legal training became the foundation for her public career.

From Classroom to Courtroom
Ferraro began her career as a teacher, an experience that grounded her in the daily realities of working families. In the 1970s she joined the Queens County District Attorney's office, where she served as an assistant district attorney under Queens District Attorney John J. Santucci. There, she handled felony cases and helped establish a Special Victims Bureau that focused on crimes involving sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence. The post drew on her empathy as a former teacher and her toughness as a prosecutor, and it brought her to the attention of Queens political leaders who encouraged her to consider elected office.

Election to Congress
In 1978 Ferraro won election to the U.S. House of Representatives from a Queens-based district, becoming one of a small but growing number of women in Congress. She was reelected twice. In the House she built a reputation as a diligent member who focused on infrastructure, mass transit, government operations, and social policy. Ferraro championed the Equal Rights Amendment, pay equity, reproductive rights, and protections for seniors and working parents. She worked cordially with House leaders such as Speaker Tip ONeill and cultivated relationships across the aisle without retreating from core Democratic priorities. Her profile rose quickly as she combined constituent service with national advocacy for womens participation in public life.

Breaking a National Barrier in 1984
Ferraro entered the history books when Walter F. Mondale selected her as his running mate in 1984, making her the first woman nominated for vice president by a major U.S. political party. Her acceptance at the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco electrified delegates and inspired many women and girls who had rarely seen themselves represented on a national ticket. The months that followed were both exhilarating and punishing. She crisscrossed the country, often drawing enthusiastic crowds, while facing intense scrutiny uncommon for running mates. Reporters probed the finances and real estate holdings of her husband, John A. Zaccaro, and the couples tax filings became a running controversy that overshadowed parts of the campaign. Ferraro held lengthy press conferences and ultimately released additional information, but the defensive posture limited her ability to stay on message.

Despite headwinds, Ferraro campaigned aggressively against the incumbent ticket of President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush. In the nationally televised vice presidential debate she projected command and refused to be condescended to, a moment that resonated with supporters. Yet the Mondale-Ferraro ticket was defeated in a landslide, a reflection of the political climate and the administrations popularity rather than the historic nature of her candidacy. Walter Mondale later spoke warmly of her courage and trailblazing role, and Ferraro emerged from the race as a symbol of possibility for women in politics.

Later Campaigns and Public Service
After 1984 Ferraro remained a force in Democratic politics and public policy. In 1992, the so-called Year of the Woman, she sought a U.S. Senate seat from New York. She ran a competitive campaign but lost the Democratic primary to state attorney general Robert Abrams, who went on to lose the general election to Senator Alfonse DAmato. Ferraro remained active, practicing law, speaking across the country, and supporting women candidates. Under President Bill Clinton she served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, a role that allowed her to advocate globally for democratic governance, protections for women and children, and accountability for abuses. She later made another bid for the U.S. Senate in 1998, entering a primary that was ultimately won by Charles Schumer, who defeated DAmato in the general election.

Ferraro also became a familiar commentator on politics and policy, appearing on television and writing about the challenges facing women in leadership. In the 2008 presidential primary she supported Hillary Rodham Clinton; after comments she made about Barack Obama drew criticism, she stepped down from a campaign fundraising role. The incident underscored how central she remained to debates about gender, race, and representation in American politics.

Personal Life
Ferraro married John A. Zaccaro in 1960. Zaccaro, a New York real estate developer and broker, was a constant presence in her public life, for better and worse: his business dealings became fodder for critics during the 1984 campaign, yet he was also a steadfast partner through long political battles and later illness. They raised three children, Donna, John Jr., and Laura, balancing family life with the relentless pace of campaigns and public service. Ferraro frequently spoke about her mothers sacrifices and the lessons she carried from a working-class upbringing into the halls of power.

Illness, Advocacy, and Legacy
In 1998 Ferraro was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that at the time carried a bleak prognosis. She went public with her diagnosis, used her platform to demystify the disease, and advocated for access to cutting-edge treatments and research funding. Advances in therapy extended her life well beyond early expectations, and she credited her doctors and clinical innovation for giving her the time to continue her work and watch her children and grandchildren grow.

Geraldine Ferraro died on March 26, 2011, at age 75. Tributes from across the political spectrum, including from Walter Mondale, President Barack Obama, and President Bill Clinton, hailed her as a pioneer who widened the path for others. Her daughter Donna later helped document that legacy, reflecting the family commitment to public storytelling and civic engagement. Ferraros groundbreaking nomination did not erase the barriers facing women in national politics, but it redrew their contours. As a prosecutor, lawmaker, diplomat, candidate, and advocate, she placed ability and grit at the center of her story, proving that the country could imagine a woman a heartbeat away from the presidency and, in time, in the Oval Office itself.

Our collection contains 30 quotes who is written by Geraldine, under the main topics: Witty One-Liners - Truth - Never Give Up - Health - Peace.

Other people realated to Geraldine: Donna Brazile (Politician), Walter F. Mondale (Lawyer)