DMH Spotlight - An evening with Bella - and Ruth Bader Ginsburg! Back

I just spent an evening with Bella, scanning some of my images in from the years I photographed her, 1972 to 1980. She was my leader, and my photographs were used in her posters, flyers and press kits.(See some of those, below...) I have created a slide show of Bella Abzug for your enjoyment.

As Chair of the President's Commission on International Women's Year she hired me to be its official photographer and well as official photographer for the New York State Women's Meeting, Albany, and the First National Women's Conference in Houston, 1977. I hope you enjoy those slide shows too!Most of the slide shows on this website are also available for purchase in book form or for display at your meeting or celebration.

Photographs are all Copyright © Diana Mara Henry.

Contact us for permission to reproduce them or to schedule an illustrated lecture.


The Jewish Women's Archive postcards, website and exhibits feature many of Diana Mara Henry's photographs of Bella Abzug, including this one, and of others in their pantheon, including Grace Paley. Diana Mara Henry's experiences and photographs are also included in their exhibit, "Jewish Women and the Feminist Revolution."

Enjoy these campaign materials from Bella's race for Mayor. Above, in the crush of campaigning along the sidewalk, Bella is accompanied by her daughter Liz now head of Liz Abzug Consulting Services and the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute and behind her, in boater, Harold Holzer, who became a renowned Shakespeare scholar and Metropolitan Museum Vice-President.

Lynne M Abraham, Esq. shares her memories:

 

"Thank you for writing .... I was running for a Judgeship in Philadelphia. I had read that Bella Abzug, who was one of my personal heroes, had someone with the same name working on her staff. I really was in desperate need of some help in my election campaign, and there was no practical way of speaking to Ms Abzug via a letter. So, instead, I called her office, and when asked who was calling I said my name and said I was calling from Philadelphia. The secretary/receptionist put me right through to Ms. Abzug. When she answered the phone ( who couldn’t recognize her voice right off the bat?), she gave me the biggest “hello”, as if I were her long lost daughter. I quickly responded that I was a “different” Lynne Abraham, from Philadelphia, and explained the reason I called. Rather than hanging up on me, Ms Abzug engaged me in a somewhat lengthy conversation and asked a lot of questions about me regarding family background, my prior experience, and the like. It was really an extensive interview, for which I was grateful. After which, she agreed to write a letter of support on behalf of my candidacy and me, which she did. I used it successfully in that campaign. After that I ran 7 more times for public office, the last five of which were as District Attorney of Philadelphia. I am now in private practice.

I have always been so proud of Ms Abzug’s support and kindness to me. I also continue to marvel and admire her for the many courageous stands she took when they were far from popular then, I also tried to emulate her, and others, who took stands, not at all popular, but because they were the right thing to do. In addition, I always try to help young candidates and others who now come to me for my help. Turn about is, after all, fair play."



For your amusement, below, two of Bella as a Delegate at the 1972 Democratic National Convention,

at right with poet Allen Ginsberg.

 

 

Photos and text Copyright © Diana Mara Henry. Email us with any questions or for permission to use.

NO DMH photos in the above ad, just a pleasant piece of memorabilia....

Photographs by Diana Mara Henry, far left and right in spread in NY MAgazine, 6/20/1977.

 


The photograph above is of Bella at the Battery, the first time I saw Bella. I had neard her interviewed on the radio, and her voice made me think I wanted to meet her. It was 1972. She was protesting the jerrymandering of her district on Manhattan's Upper West Side, and the news report announced the time of the press conference. I heigh-tailed it down to the other end of Manahttan, and I was so excited, I dropped my lens as I was kneeling at her feet to take the pictures. I brought the photographs up to her campaign headwuarters, met Mim Kelber, and this one was chosen for some super large posters for her campaign, as well as for this flyer.

All images © Diana Mara Henry. All rights reserved. Terms of Use