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New & Noteworthy Collections - Margaret Feldman Scrapbooks

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The History Center blog shares research and findings about local history, excerpts from the History Center Archives, information about upcoming exhibits and other opportunities on how to get involved with The History Center in Tompkins County. To learn more or view the archival materials mentioned, visit us in downtown Ithaca, follow us on social media @TompkinsHistory, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter History Happenings.

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New & Noteworthy Collections - Margaret Feldman Scrapbooks

Tue, October 18, 2022 7:07 PM | Anonymous

Our scrapbook collection is one of our most popular collections, a diverse and sprawling assortment of thousands of newspaper clippings pasted into large blank books. Indexed by multiple useful topics, it's useful for researchers of all kinds. Some of our scrapbooks, however, are different: Personal collections compiled by individuals preserving treasured memorabilia, they contain photographs, dance cards, Valentine cards, and other items that tell stories of individual past lives. We received one such scrapbook recently that documents the history of Margaret Feldman, an ambitious and civic-minded woman who ran for Mayor of Ithaca in 1979. Composed of newspaper clippings, flyers, photographs, and media releases, these materials highlight the campaign of a candidate who would be "an aggressive, activist mayor," as she described herself. Feldman was an Ithaca College professor of psychology, and an advocate for women's rights, and for careful preservation of the environment. A registered Democrat, Feldman ran as an Independent and spoke forcefully on issues ranging from Route 96 development to government operations, She came in a disappointing fourth out of five candidates, but she was glad, she said, to have "brought together a coalition of ideas and people who should go on and work for the common good of Ithaca."

For more information about this trail-blazing candidate and her vibrant and forward-thinking campaign, email archives@thehistorycenter.net.