Sophie Masloff

Sophie Friedman Masloff (1913-2014) was the first female mayor of Pittsburgh and the first Jewish mayor of the city in its modern history. The youngest of four children born to Romanian immigrants living in the Hill District, she graduated from Fifth Avenue High School in 1935 and declined a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh to enter the workforce. She spent her entire career in civil service and elected office, including more than 30 years in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. She rose through the local Democratic Party and won a special election in 1976 to fill a vacancy on the Pittsburgh City Council. She retained the seat in 1977, 1981 and 1985 and became the first female president of the council in 1988. She was appointed mayor later that year, after Mayor Richard S. Caliguiri died in office. She won a full term in 1990. While in office, she completed major real estate deals at Crawford Square, Washington’s Landing and the Pittsburgh Technology Center, privatized several city-owned properties including the Pittsburgh Zoo, formalized the signage for city streets and launched the “blue bag” recycling program. She continued to serve in various elected and appointed positions throughout the region for two decades after she completed her term as mayor in 1993.