Geraldine Ferraro (August 26, 1935 — March 26, 2011) was an American revolutionary politician, who made history as the first female vice presidential candidate on a major party ticket when she ran alongside Walter Mondale in the 1984 presidential election. Ferraro graduated with a law degree from Fordham Law School in 1960, and began her career in the Queens District Attorney’s office. A few years later, she passed the state bar, and went into private law practice. In the early 1970s, she became involved in the Democratic party, and from 1978 to 1984 she served in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1983, she was named to the Democratic ticket as the vice presidential nominee, the first female ever on a major party ticket. Although they lost the election, Ferraro endured as an icon of the women’s rights movement. She continued to work in politics, including serving as Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Ferraro continued to be an advocate for women until she passed away in 2011 at 75 years old. She is survived by her four children and seven grandchildren.