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Barbara Margolis

1929 – 2009

American activist

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About Barbara Margolis

Lived 1929 – 2009 (aged 79). Barbara Margolis was an American.

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.

Early life and education She was born as Barbara Ann Schneider in Malden, Massachusetts 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. 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.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Simmons University
Also known as
Barbara Ann Margolis

People in Barbara Margolis's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Barbara Margolis's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Barbara Margolis?

American activist

When was Barbara Margolis born?

Barbara Margolis was born on 4 October 1929.

When did Barbara Margolis die?

Barbara Margolis died on 3 July 2009.

What nationality was Barbara Margolis?

Barbara Margolis was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Barbara Margolis

· Wikidata: Q4859129

· DBpedia: Barbara Margolis

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Barbara Margolis. https://biography.guide/barbara-margolis/

MLA: "Barbara Margolis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/barbara-margolis/.

Chicago: "Barbara Margolis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/barbara-margolis/.

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