Bella Abzug died on March 26, 1998, in Manhattan, following heart surgery complications, at age 77.
Bella Abzug died on March 26, 1998, at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in Manhattan, following complications from heart surgery. She was 77 years old.
At the time of her death, she remained an active and influential voice in American and international politics, having recently co-founded the Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) and continuing to advocate for women's rights on the global stage, including at the United Nations. Tributes poured in from political leaders across the spectrum, including President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, who had worked closely with Abzug on international women's rights initiatives.
Her death marked the end of an era for a generation of American feminist and progressive activism. Abzug's legacy endured through the organizations she founded, the legislation she championed, and the cultural imprint of her fearless, hat-wearing persona, which became a lasting symbol of unapologetic female political power. She is remembered as one of the most consequential feminist legislators of the twentieth century, and institutions such as the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute continue to carry forward her mission of empowering women in politics and public life.