Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Ann Ferraro earned a place in history as the first woman vice-presidential candidate on a national party ticket.
Ms. Ferraro was born in Newburgh, New York on August 26, 1935. Her father, an Italian immigrant, died when she was eight. Her mother worked as a seamstress. She skipped three grades, finished high school at 16, and won a college scholarship. She then taught second grade in the New York Public Schools for five years. During that time, she also put herself through Fordham Law School at night. She and her husband, realtor John Zaccaro, have three children, Donna, John, and Laura.
After spending thirteen years at home raising her children, she joined the Queens County District Attorney's Office. There, she started the Special Victims Bureau, supervising the prosecution of sex crimes, child abuse, domestic violence and violent crimes against senior citizens.
Ms. Ferraro was first elected to Congress from New York's Ninth Congressional District in