Carol Greitzer (January 3, 1925 – April 3, 2026), a longtime New York City Councilmember, represented Greenwich Village in elected office across five decades. She can be credited with helping to end Tammany Hall domination of politics in Lower Manhattan and ushering in a new era of reform politics. She was also a leader in fights to preserve endangered landmarks in our neighborhood, to free Washington Square from traffic, and for various measures for women’s equality, including ending the “Men Only” policy at McSorley’s Bar.

In her oral history, Greitzer traces her path from a New York City childhood in the 1930s and ’40s to becoming a central figure in Village reform politics. She recounts her early political awakening during Adlai Stevenson’s 1952 presidential campaign and her deepening involvement after moving to Greenwich Village in the mid-1950s.

By the decade’s end, Greitzer had co-founded the Village Independent Democrats, a grassroots organization that challenged the local machine led by Carmine DeSapio. She reflects on the group’s early organizing strategies and the vital role women played in the reform movement.

Greitzer also revisits key preservation and planning battles in Greenwich Village, including efforts to save the Jefferson Market Courthouse, support Joseph Papp’s relocation of the Public Theater to the Astor Library, and successfully close Washington Square Park to traffic. She discusses the broader fight over urban renewal proposals like Title I and the controversial plan for Verrazano Street.

In closing, Greitzer reflects on the lessons of these formative struggles and outlines her philosophy of public service, emphasizing the responsibilities of New York City Council members and her commitment to meeting them.

The main portion of the oral history was recorded in 1999, but remained unreleased until after Greitzer’s passing in 2026, with her approval. An addendum was recorded in March 2026, just days before her passing, with Carol’s daughter Elizabeth conducting the interview.