Elizabeth Holtzman, 1941-

Elizabeth Holtzman became New York City's comptroller in 1990, and was a Democratic primary candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992. For more information, see the finding aid for the Elizabeth Holtzman Papers (81-M10-81-M300).

From the guide to the Videotapes, 1974, 1980, 1987-1993, n.d., (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)

Elizabeth Holtzman was born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 11, 1941, the daughter of Sidney and Filia (Ravitz) Holtzman. She attended Abraham Lincoln High School (1954-1958) and Radcliffe College (1958-1962). After being graduated from Radcliffe magna cum laude, she entered Harvard Law School, receiving her J.D. degree in 1965. During law school EH helped found the Law Students' Civil Rights Research Council, worked on civil rights cases in Georgia, and taught English at Harvard College.

EH worked as an attorney for two New York law firms (1965-1967, 1970-1972), served as an Assistant to the Mayor of New York City (1967-1970), and was elected Democratic State Committeewoman from Flatbush (1970). She was also a founder of the Brooklyn Women's Political Caucus and an organizer of the Take Brooklyn Out of the War Coalition. She was appointed delegate-at-large from New York State to the 1972 Democratic National Convention and was a New York State delegate to the 1974 Democratic "mini-convention." First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 16th District in 1972, EH served from January 1973 to December 1980. She was, in 1972, the youngest woman ever elected to the House of Representatives. After an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1980, EH was elected New York City's first female district attorney in 1982, heading the city's largest office, Brooklyn.

From the guide to the Papers, 1970-1981, (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)