THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT
Gladys Heldman
May 13, 1922 – June 22, 2003
“Without Gladys, there wouldn’t be women’s professional tennis.” – Billie Jean King
Anthropologist, physiologist, biochemist. One of the founders of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Served as vice chair of the California Commission on the Status of Women (1965–1967). Organized the Northern and Southern CA chapters of NOW. National treasurer of NOW. President of the San Francisco Soroptimist Club and public affairs chair of the 13-county Soroptimist Federation of America.
More About Gladys:
- Obituary, The New York Times
- International Tennis Hall of Fame
- Gladys Heldman honored posthumously with the Eugene L. Scott Award
- The Jewish Women’s Archive
- WTA 50th Anniversary: Chapter 1: Thank You, Gladys
- Julie Heldman, Veteran Feminists of America Pioneer Histories Project
- Wikipedia page
- Cited in Barbara Love’s book, Feminists Who Changed America 1963-1975, page 208