Frederic S. Berman :
- Author:
- Berman, Frederic S., 1927-
- Call Number:
- MSS APAP-229 local
- Abstract:
- The collection predominantly contains materials acquired by Frederic Berman during his time as a New York State Senator. Series 1, Senatorial Papers, contains campaign information as well as results from public opinion surveys. Campaign literature from Bruno Cappellini, Eleanor Clark French, John G. Heimann, Eric M. Javits, Robert Kennedy, and John V. Lindsay, and other contemporary New York politicians is found throughout the files. The Berman Papers also feature a substantial variety of newsclippings from local New York City news sources pertaining to the political platforms of Berman, such as air pollution, political ethics, and rent and housing issues. Bills introduced by New York State Senator MacNeil Mitchell and background materials about Mitchell, whom Berman defeated in the 1964 State Senate election, are abundant in Berman's research files. Series 2, Post-Senatorial Papers, contains materials from the time Berman served as the Commissioner of the New York City Rent and Housing Department and includes pamphlets, bound reports, photographs, correspondence, and drafts and final publications of articles written by Berman. There are a few items from his career as a New York City Criminal Court Judge, but no materials pertaining to his service on the New York State Supreme Court.
- Historical Note:
- Frederic S. Berman was born on March 7, 1927 in New York. He graduated from Columbia College in 1949 and received his law degree from New York Law School in 1951. Berman practiced as an attorney at the firm Berman & Berman from 1952-1964 and again from 1969-1972, specializing in business law. He also was an adjunct member of the faculty at New York Law School from 1958-2003, teaching such courses as criminal law, personal property, municipal law and post-conviction remedies and procedures. Berman entered public service in the 1960s. Voters from the 20th District elected him to the New York State Senate in 1964. A Democrat, he served from 1964-1966 and focused on issues of air pollution, tenants' rights, and legislative ethics. He was a member of the Corporations, Education, Finance, Motor Vehicles and Transportation and Taxation Committees. As the Commissioner of the New York City Rent and Housing Department from 1966-1969 he spearheaded efforts to slow rising rent through rent control and reform measures. He also served as a New York City Criminal Court Judge from 1973-1976 and sat on the New York State Supreme Court from 1976-1997. Since 2006, he has served as Adjunct Professor Emeritus at New York Law School and is known as an authority on law and social change.
- Physical Description:
- 2.0 cu ft
- Access Terms:
- Access to the collection is unrestricted.
- Notes:
- Frederic S. Berman Papers, 1962-1975. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York.
- Subjects:
- Air Pollution, Criminal courts New York (State) New York, Political campaigns New York (State) New York, Political ethics United States, Politicians New York (State), Rent control New York (State), Air Pollution, Criminal courts, Political campaigns, Political ethics, Politicians, Politics and government, and Rent control
- Genres/Forms:
- Bills (legislative records) aat, Clippings. aat, Correspondence. aat, Drafts (versions of documents) aat, Files by subject. aat, Fliers (printed matter) aat, Legislative records. aat, Official reports. aat, Photographs. aat, Political posters. aat, and Press releases. aat
- Names:
- Berman, Frederic S., 1927-, Mitchell, MacNeil, and Mitchell, MacNeil
- Corporate Names:
- New York (N.Y.). Housing and Development Administration, New York (State). Criminal Court (Kings County, N.Y.), New York (State). Legislature. Senate, New York (N.Y.). Housing and Development Administration, New York (State). Criminal Court (Kings County, N.Y.), and New York (State). Legislature. Senate
- Geographic Terms:
- New York (N.Y.), New York (State) Politics and government, New York (State), New York (State) New York, and United States
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