From Mississippi to Beijing to the halls of Congress, Bella Abzug battled injustice her entire life. Known for her trademark hats and fearless style, Abzug helped reshape New York politics and the national women's movement.

In part one of this two-part podcast series from Spectrum News NY1, Errol Louis traces Abzug's early life from her path to Columbia Law School to her work as a civil rights attorney and anti-war activist. The episode explores her role in defending African American civil rights, her leadership in a leading women's peace group and the frustrations that ultimately pushed her to run for Congress in 1970 — when she was 50 years old and ready to upend the political establishment.