Gale Cincotta

Gale Cincotta (December 28, 1929 – August 15, 2001), a community activist from the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, led the national fight for the US federal Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The CRA requires banks and savings and loans to offer credit throughout their entire market areas and prohibits them from targeting only wealthier neighborhoods with their lending and services, a practice known as redlining. She was a co-founder of the National Training and Information Center in Chicago, and served as its executive director from 1973 until her death in 2001. From 1972 to 2001 she served as chairperson of National People's Action, a coalition of some 300 community organizations throughout the United States.

References

*Douglas Martin, "Gale Cincotta, 72, Opponent of Biased Banking Policies," Obituaries, "New York Times", August 12, 2001, p. A19.
*Julie Patel, "Gale Cincotta, 72, Longtime Community Activist," Obituaries, "Chicago Sun-Times", August 16, 2001.
*Jeff Bailey, "Unlikely Activist Gets Chicago Banks to Give Loans in Poor Sections," "Wall Street Journal", August 21, 1985, pp. A1, 16.
*Anne Witte Garland, "Gale Cincotta, 'We Found the Enemy,'" in "Women Activists: Challenging the Abuse of Power" (New York: The Feminist Press, 1988), pp. 38-55.
*Patrick Berry, "Gale Cincotta and Heather Booth," in "After Alinsky: Community Organizing in Illinois", edited by Peg Knoepfle (Springfield: Sangamon State University, 1990), pp. 54-60.
*Gale Cincotta, "The Fight Against Redlining: Remembering the First 'Bank-In,'" "The Workbook", Vol. 19, N0. 2 (Summer 1994). pp. 66-67.