Barbara Margolis
Encyclopedia
Barbara Ann "Bobbie" Margolis (October 4, 1929 – July 3, 2009) was an American
prisoners' rights
advocate who served as the official greeter of New York City
under the administration of Mayor of New York City
Ed Koch
. She established Fresh Start, a program under which inmates at Rikers Island
receive culinary training from professional chefs.
on October 4, 1929, and attended Boston
's Simmons College
, where she was awarded a bachelor's degree in retailing. While working as a security officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1958, she met David Margolis
. They married six months later, and moved to New York City in 1959.
While a volunteer at Rikers Island, she and her husband met future mayor Ed Koch
when they were all seated at the same table while attending a 1967 dinner honoring a prison warden. Koch was sworn into office as mayor on December 31, 1977 at the Margolis home at 30 East 72nd Street
. In 1979, she was named official greeter of New York City — officially the vice chairman of the City Commission for Distinguished Guests — the first woman to hold the honorary post which paid a salary of $1 per year. As greeter, she welcomed individuals such as Diana, Princess of Wales
and Pope John Paul II
.
In 1980, she helped re-establish The Rikers Review, a magazine that includes literature and advice produced by inmates for the prisoner population.
She ran Fresh Start from its creation in 1989 until 1997, with the goal of helping inmates to be released from prison find lower-level jobs in the food industry. As the program developed, it trained 60 people per year in classes given eight hours per day for a 10-week period covering the full range of restaurant jobs from preparing food to fixing equipment. The classes, some of which feature guest instructors from New York City restaurants, covers such areas as wine tasting, taught using different varieties of grape juice to address a prison ban on alcohol.
Efforts by Margolis to help ex-prisoners rehabilitate included drug treatment and therapy while at Rikers, as well as continuing interaction after release. Margolis would take calls from former program participants at all hours of the day, often months after their release, and she would reach out to ensure that they had items such as ties that they might need for an interview. While 46% of the general population released from city prisons were back in jail within a year of release, the one-year recidivism
rate for graduates of the Fresh Start program was 25%. Inmates held her in such regard that after her car was stolen from the prison parking lot it was immediately returned once it was discovered that it was her car that had been taken.
, she also had residences in Quogue, New York
and Tourrettes-sur-Loup
, France
.
Margolis died at age 79 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
in Manhattan
on July 3, 2009, due to complications from cancer. She was survived by a daughter, three sons and five grandchildren. Her husband died at age 78 on December 13, 2008, due to cardiac arrest
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prisoners' rights
Prisoners' rights
The rights of civil and military prisoners are governed by both national and international law. International conventions include: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the United Nations' Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and the European Committee for the...
advocate who served as the official greeter of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
under the administration of Mayor of New York City
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
Ed Koch
Ed Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
. She established Fresh Start, a program under which inmates at Rikers Island
Rikers Island
Rikers Island is New York City's main jail complex, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport. The island itself is part of the borough of the Bronx, though it is included as part of...
receive culinary training from professional chefs.
Early life and education
She was born as Barbara Ann Schneider in Malden, MassachusettsMalden, Massachusetts
Malden is a suburban city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 59,450 at the 2010 census. In 2009 Malden was ranked as the "Best Place to Raise Your Kids" in Massachusetts by Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine.-History:...
on October 4, 1929, and attended Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's Simmons College
Simmons College (Massachusetts)
Simmons College, established in 1899, is a private women's undergraduate college and private co-educational graduate school in Boston, Massachusetts.-History:Simmons was founded in 1899 with a bequest by John Simmons a wealthy clothing manufacturer in Boston...
, where she was awarded a bachelor's degree in retailing. While working as a security officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1958, she met David Margolis
David Margolis
David Israel Margolis was an American industrialist who served as president and chairman of Colt Industries, who was a confidant of former Mayor of New York City Ed Koch....
. They married six months later, and moved to New York City in 1959.
While a volunteer at Rikers Island, she and her husband met future mayor Ed Koch
Ed Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
when they were all seated at the same table while attending a 1967 dinner honoring a prison warden. Koch was sworn into office as mayor on December 31, 1977 at the Margolis home at 30 East 72nd Street
72nd Street (Manhattan)
72nd Street is one of the major bi-directional crosstown streets in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Where the west end of 72nd Street curves into the south end of Riverside Drive, the memorial to Eleanor Roosevelt stands in Riverside Park. At this end of the street is the landmarked...
. In 1979, she was named official greeter of New York City — officially the vice chairman of the City Commission for Distinguished Guests — the first woman to hold the honorary post which paid a salary of $1 per year. As greeter, she welcomed individuals such as Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
and Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
Rikers Island
Though her friends and family could not explain what triggered her involvement there, Margolis was involved in creating a wide range of programs for inmates at the Rikers Island prison facility operated by the New York City Department of Corrections.In 1980, she helped re-establish The Rikers Review, a magazine that includes literature and advice produced by inmates for the prisoner population.
She ran Fresh Start from its creation in 1989 until 1997, with the goal of helping inmates to be released from prison find lower-level jobs in the food industry. As the program developed, it trained 60 people per year in classes given eight hours per day for a 10-week period covering the full range of restaurant jobs from preparing food to fixing equipment. The classes, some of which feature guest instructors from New York City restaurants, covers such areas as wine tasting, taught using different varieties of grape juice to address a prison ban on alcohol.
Efforts by Margolis to help ex-prisoners rehabilitate included drug treatment and therapy while at Rikers, as well as continuing interaction after release. Margolis would take calls from former program participants at all hours of the day, often months after their release, and she would reach out to ensure that they had items such as ties that they might need for an interview. While 46% of the general population released from city prisons were back in jail within a year of release, the one-year recidivism
Recidivism
Recidivism is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior...
rate for graduates of the Fresh Start program was 25%. Inmates held her in such regard that after her car was stolen from the prison parking lot it was immediately returned once it was discovered that it was her car that had been taken.
Personal
In addition to her apartment on the Upper East SideUpper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
, she also had residences in Quogue, New York
Quogue, New York
Quogue is an incorporated village in Southampton, Suffolk County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population was 1,018.-Geography:Quogue is located at ....
and Tourrettes-sur-Loup
Tourrettes-sur-Loup
Tourrettes-sur-Loup is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.This is an artisan's village situated near Grasse. It features medieval and romanesque buildings.-Population:-External links:*...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Margolis died at age 79 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center is a cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
on July 3, 2009, due to complications from cancer. She was survived by a daughter, three sons and five grandchildren. Her husband died at age 78 on December 13, 2008, due to cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
.