By Lydia Browne
When I was in fourth grade, I was assigned to make a poster board project about the life of Dianne Feinstein. When done, I would present it in the cafeteria along with the rest of my classmates, dressed as the famous Californians that were assigned and giving speeches to parents as if we were those people. When I read the slip of paper with the name of my Californian on it, I had no idea who Dianne Feinstein was. As I put together my poster board and memorized my speech, I discovered that I had been given the name of an extremely interesting and hard-working woman.
On Thursday, September 28, 2023, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away at the age of 90 as the longest serving senator from California in history. Now, we can take this opportunity to look back on her amazing life.
Dianne Feinstein was born in San Francisco on June 22, 1933. Her father, Leon Goldman, was a physician and the first Jewish chair of surgery at the UCSF medical school. Her mother, Betty, was a Russian immigrant and former model, who reportedly made Feinstein and her sisters’ childhood very difficult due to struggles with alcoholism.
Feinstein attended public school until eighth grade, then attended the Covenant of the Sacred Heart High School–an elite Roman Catholic school. She was the only Jewish student there. She entered Stanford University in 1951 as a premed student, which she changed to a major in political science and history. While there, she served as student body vice president, which was the highest position that a woman could hold at the time. After graduating in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree, she began an internship in San Francisco at the Coro Foundation, which was meant to give young people experience in politics.
Soon after her graduation, Feinstein married Jack Berman in 1956. A year later, they had a daughter, Katherine, who would later become a judge. In 1959, Dianne divorced Jack. Three years later, she married Bertram Feinstein.
Feinstein worked as a part of California Women’s Board of Terms and Parole from 1960 to 1966. Then, from 1966 to 1968, she chaired San Francisco’s Advisory Committee for Adult Detention. In 1969, she won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, where she served for nine years and became the board’s first female president.
She ran for the mayor of San Francisco in 1971 and 1975, but she was not elected. However, in 1978, Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor, Harvey Milk, were assassinated. As president of the Board of Supervisors, Dianne Feinstein assumed the position, becoming San Francisco’s first female mayor. That same year, her husband died from cancer. Later, during her time as mayor, she married Richard C. Blum, who she was together with until his death in 2022.
In 1979, Feinstein was elected to continue her role as mayor. From the time of her election until the end of her terms in 1988, she was praised for bettering city services and furthering gay rights in San Francisco. However, in 1982, she opposed domestic partnership legislation, which upset many of her supporters.
In 1990, Feinstein ran for the position of governor of California, but lost to republican senator Pete Wilson. However, when Senator Wilson became the governor, Feinstein was later elected to replace his seat in the Senate. She served for two years, starting in 1992 before being reelected to serve a six-year term in 1994. She would serve in this position for the rest of her life.
Dianne Feinstein succeeded in many things while serving in the Senate. She fought for the environment–like the restoration of Lake Tahoe. She strove to better national security by reviewing the CIA’s use of torture and outlawing it. She worked to improve the U.S’s approach to crime and justice, being a strong advocate for gun control. She contributed to advancements in healthcare with the Breast Cancer Research Stamp, which raised nearly 100 million dollars for breast cancer research. These are just a few examples of the numerous accomplishments of Feinstein’s career.
Because of her work in the Senate, Dianne Feinstein has won many awards. A small part of a long list, these awards include, the National Parks Conservation Association National Park Heritage Award in 2019, the Congressional Leader of the Year Award from the League of California Cities in 2006, and the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service in 2001.
Earlier this year, Feinstein suffered from shingles, which interfered with her work for over two months. Sadly, when she returned to the Senate in May, she had to use a wheelchair and could only vote occasionally.
She died at her home in Washington D.C. on the night of September 28. On Friday morning, her seat in the Senate was draped in black with a vase of white roses as a tribute from her fellow senators. As Republican Senate Leader Mitch Mcconnell said, “Dianne was a trailblazer, and her beloved home state of California and our entire nation are better for her dogged advocacy and diligent service.” President Joe Biden also made a statement about Feinstein’s death, saying, “Dianne made her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties. Our country will benefit from her legacy for generations.”
Now, with an empty seat in the Senate, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Sunday, October 1, that he had appointed Laphonza Butler, President of the EMILY’s List committee, to fill the role. With this change, California and the Senate see the end of one era, and the beginning of another.
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