AKA Abigail Mann

Born: 1936
Birthplace: Croton-on-Hudson, NY

Gender: Female
Religion: Jewish [1]
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Author

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Opponent of Affirmative Action

Regarding America and Black in White: "The Thernstroms wrote their book with a $100,000 advance paid by the Institute... Similar fellowships are given to other authors who espouse views that support the Institute's agenda." [Philadelphia Inquirer, October 1999, quoted by Norman Solomon]

Thernstrom's opposition to affirmative action comes from an interesting place -- she is by no means a racist. At one point she was fully a liberal democrat, but used as a tool by Republicans under Ronald Reagan to help achieve their goals of eliminating portions of the Voting Rights Act.

Father: (businessman)
Mother: (d. breast cancer)
Husband: Stephan Thernstrom (Harvard professor, b. 1934, m. 1958, two children)
Daughter: Melanie

    University: BA, Barnard College
    University: PhD Government, Harvard University (1975)

    Board of Education Massachusetts State Board of Education
    US Commission on Civil Rights Vice Chair
    Bush-Cheney '04
    Manhattan Institute for Policy Research Senior Fellow
    Independent Women's Forum Advisory Board
    Center for Equal Opportunity Board Member
    Center of the American Experiment
    Aspen Institute 1992-97
    Institute for Justice Board Member
    Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research Advisory Board
    Cascade Policy Institute Adjunct Scholar

Author of books:
Whose Votes Count: Affirmative Action and Minority Voting Rights (1987)
America in Black and White: One Nation, Indivisible (1997, with Stephan Thernstrom)
No Excuses: Closing the Racial Gap in Learning (2003)

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