1983, parody ad shot at Rutgers Unviersity, New Jersey, USA
In 1970, Bella Abzug became the first Jewish woman to be elected to Congress. Her campaign slogan was 'A woman's place is in the house: The House of Representatives'. In 1973 she discovered that despite being in Congress, any credit card in her name had to read Mrs Martin Abzug and her husband had to sign for it. She fought to change the law, and did in 1974, when President Ford signed the Depository Institutions Amendments Act, 1974.
Do you know me?
Well, American Express did not know me, because when I was in the Congress of the united States, and I applied for an American Express card, they said I couldn’t get one unless my husband signed for it.
So I called up Martin, my husband and said, ‘what do you believe? Do you love me? Because American Express doesn’t and they you to sign for my card.’
He said, ‘I love you, Bella. I wouldn’t trade you even for Joe Namath (an American football quarterback], But American Express is going to have to give you your own card, and I’m going to fight with you until we do.’
And so in the Congress of the united states we passed the credit law, in which we were able to get women to get their own credit, and so I didn’t know whether I should really get an American Express card, but I decided I would so I could tell this story.
So now i have an American Express card, so I can tell this story.
Women fought for their own credit, and American Express had to give in.
So carry an American Express card as a symbol of women’s right to credit!
[off camera applause]