THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Mim Kelber

May 14, 1922 – August 13, 2004

“Power is a word for which women should never apologize.”

Activist, journalist, writer. Fought for women’s rights and world peace. ERA demonstrations, peace demonstrations, 1970 march down Fifth Avenue. National news editor, Washington bureau chief of Federated Press, 1943-1955. Co-founder, Women Strike for Peace, 1961. Editor and writer, Science and Medicine, NY, 1958-1970. Executive assistant, chief speech writer, co-editor congressional newsletter, Congresswoman Bella Abzug, 1970–1998. Coordinator, National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year; directed national media campaign, “Win with Women,” 1974. Policy consultant, writer, President Carter’s National Advisory Committee for Women (1978-1979). Co-founder, executive director, writer, organizer, Women USA; a national women’s communications network, (1979–1982). Formed Women’s Foreign Policy Council (1987). Co-founder, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (1990). Co-author, Gender Gap: Bella Abzug’s Guide to Political Power for American Women (1984); Women’s Foreign Policy Directory (1988) and Women and Government: New Ways to Political Power (1994). Wrote articles for Ms. Magazine, New York Times, Redbook, The Nation, Columbia Law Review and Vogue. Edited WEDO’s newsletter until retirement in 1999. Graduated with a degree in journalism, Hunter College.

Photo. Gender Gap: Bella Abzug’s Guide to Political Power for American Women, 1984