Career
Her research specialized in United States labor and gender history. Wertheimer served as an associate professor at Cornell University from 1977 to 1983, where she cofounded and directed the Institute for Women and Work at the Industrial and Labor Relations School. Born in New York City in 1926, Wertheimer received a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College in 1946 and a Master of Arts from New York University in 1960.
Early in her career Wertheimer worked in Pennsylvania as an organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America and was an acting national education director from 1947 to 1958.
From 1960 to 1961, she served as a consultant for the American Labor Education Service. She was subsequently the community services consultant for the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal from 1961 to 1966.
Wertheimer was also a past commissioner of the New York City Commission on the Status of Women. Wertheimer had a long career at Cornell University.
From 1966 to 1972 she was the senior extension associate and labor program specialist at the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
From 1972 to 1977, she was the director of the Trade Union Women's Studies program and senior extension associate. She was later an associate professor and director of the Institute for Women and Work from 1977 to 1983. Wertheimer was also on the advisory committee for documentary Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter.
Wertheimer was married to Valentin Wertheimer, the vice-president of Amalgamated Clothing Workers.
She died of lung cancer at her summer home in Lakeville, Connecticut. The Barbara Wertheimer Prize from the New York Labor History Association is named in her honor.
lieutenant is awarded annually for the best undergraduate research paper in labor and work history.