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1939 - Born on the 13th of October in Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York.
1956 - When she was 17 years old, she met civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who became her mentor and close friend.
1958 - While working for the Brooklyn College literary magazine, she met and married Paul Feldman.
1962 - Worked for six months as a substitute third grade teacher in a public school in East Harlem.
1963 - She realized she did not have adequate training, and entered graduate school.
- She continued to be active in the civil rights movement, participating in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
1963 - 1966 - Worked to obtain a master's degree in literature at New York University.
1974 - She had been elected an AFT vice president.
1983 - Became the union's executive director and oversaw its staff. She was elected its secretary (the second-most powerful position in the local).
1989 - She was instrumental in helping David Dinkins win election as mayor of New York.
2003 - She proposed a major educational policy initiative, known as "Kindergarten-Plus." The program would extend kindergarten to children as young as three years of age, expand the kindergarten school day, and reduce kindergarten class sizes.
2004 - She announced in March that she would retire as president of the AFT at its regular biennial convention in July.
2005 - Died on the 18th of September at the age of 65.
1956 - When she was 17 years old, she met civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who became her mentor and close friend.
1958 - While working for the Brooklyn College literary magazine, she met and married Paul Feldman.
1962 - Worked for six months as a substitute third grade teacher in a public school in East Harlem.
1963 - She realized she did not have adequate training, and entered graduate school.
- She continued to be active in the civil rights movement, participating in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
1963 - 1966 - Worked to obtain a master's degree in literature at New York University.
1974 - She had been elected an AFT vice president.
1983 - Became the union's executive director and oversaw its staff. She was elected its secretary (the second-most powerful position in the local).
1989 - She was instrumental in helping David Dinkins win election as mayor of New York.
2003 - She proposed a major educational policy initiative, known as "Kindergarten-Plus." The program would extend kindergarten to children as young as three years of age, expand the kindergarten school day, and reduce kindergarten class sizes.
2004 - She announced in March that she would retire as president of the AFT at its regular biennial convention in July.
2005 - Died on the 18th of September at the age of 65.
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