Socialist Aldermen Papers
Call Number
Dates
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
From 1917 to 1920, seven prominent socialists were elected on the Socialist Party ticket to serve on the New York City Board of Aldermen. The collection contains correspondence and subject files.
Historical Note
From 1917 to 1920, seven prominent socialists were elected to serve on the New York City Board of Aldermen. This delegation consisted of Abraham Beckerman, Alexander Braunstein, Adolph Held, Maurice S. Kalman, Algernon Lee, B. Charney Vladeck, and Barnet Wolff, with Charles Solomon serving as, executive secretary and Evans Clark serving as director. These aldermen sponsored research projects relating to various urban problems in New York City and drafted legislation concerning municipal ownership. During this period, the socialist aldermen worked diligently to implement many of the programs that had been advocated by the New York Socialist Party locals for a number of years. While most of these proposals were initially defeated, several socialist measures, including public ownership of mass transportation and administrative control over housing and the school lunch program, were finally adopted in the 1930s and 1940s.
Arrangement
Organized into three series:
I. Subject Files
II. Correspondence
III. Fragile Originals
Folders are arranged alphabetically.
Scope and Contents
The Socialist Aldermen Papers, 1917-1920, consist of 19 subject files and 16 files of correspondence. The subject files are first arranged alphabetically according to the title of the file and then chronologically within each file. Each file has been assigned a microfilm frame number, with the subject files receiving numbers 1-19 and the correspondence receiving numbers 20-35. In a representative frame number (VII:2), the number 2 indicates that this is the 2nd frame, and the roman numeral VII indicates that the Socialist Alderman Papers are the 7th collection within the microfilm publication Socialist Collections in the Tamiment Library, 1872-1956.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
People
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives has no information about copyright ownership for this collection and is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from it. Materials in this collection, which were created in 1917-1920, are expected to enter the public domain in 2041.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Socialist Aldermen Papers; TAM 056.007; box number; folder number or item identifier; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Transferred from the Rand School Archives, 1962. The accession number associated with this collection is 1962.008.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Due to the fragile nature of the original materials, researchers must use the microfilmed version; microfilm call number is Film R-7124, Reel 11.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Decisions regarding arrangement, description, and physical interventions for this collection prior to 2019 are unknown. In 2019, materials were rehoused in new acid-free folders and boxes in preparation for offsite storage.
