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Summary

Abstract:
The Conservative Party Of New York State Records contain files created and used the chairmen of the New York State Conservative Party: Kieran O'Doherty, 1962; J. Daniel Mahoney, 1962-86; Serphin Maltese, 1986-88; and Michael R. Long, 1989-2019. The strength of the records is in its documentation of New York State politics and elections (including the State Legislature and other state offices), the Conservative Party's political endorsements and candidates (including writer William F. Buckley, Jr., and Senator James Buckley), and the political goals and ideological positions on contemporary and 20th century issues.
Extent:
40.5 cubic ft.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Conservative Party Of New York State Records 1961-2016 (APAP-060). M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Conservative Party Of New York State Records).

Background

Scope and Content:

The records of the Conservative Party of New York State (CPNYS) include those which represent the party's life from its inception to its recent history. The records in this collection detail both the internal and external actions/stance of the CPNYS. The records reflect the CPNYS's extensive involvement in New York State politics and its communication with national figures throughout its existence including governors and federal officials. Included in the collection are many records pertaining to the party's perspective on many national and international events of the latter half of the 20th century. Internal records from the history of the party's founding are present which provide an account of the inside working of the party and its efforts.

The strength of this collection is in the documentation of the CPNYS's positions on social, political and economic issues. The collections Chairman Subject File contains information regarding the internal operations of the party, meetings and communications between senior officials and inside as well as outside of the party. The Subject File contains records which shed light on the CPNYS positions regarding different events of the 20th century both statewide and nationally as well as party candidate campaigns for various offices. The Publications and News Releases Series contains information published by the party for its annual dinners and news releases focused on CPNYS business. The Clippings File contains news stories saved which detail events, candidates and the party. Finally, the Buckley Files contain records which pertain to the CPNYS's involvement with Senator James L. Buckley and noted conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr.; it contains records including substantial correspondences and campaign material for the brothers.

Although the records span the period from the early 1960s to the 2010s, the bulk of the records covers the party's founding in 1961 through the late 1980s. An additional 7 cubic feet of records were incorporated from new accessions in the fall of 2022.

Biographical / Historical:

The Conservative Party of New York State, also commonly referred to as the New York State Conservative Party, was officially founded in 1962. Efforts to form the party were initiated following the Republican loss of New York State in the 1960 Presidential Election. In 1961 disaffected Republicans, led by New York City attorneys Kieran O'Doherty (1926-1991) and J. Daniel Mahoney (1931-1996), formed the organizing committee for the New York State Conservative Political Association, Inc., a membership corporation. This association was established as a base upon which to build the Conservative Party, "a fourth party, to counter the influence of the New York Liberal Party" [Mahoney, J. Daniel, Actions Speak Louder (New York: Arlington House), p. 24]. The Conservative Party's intent was to "exercise leverage upon the major political parties by endorsing and working for candidates from either party whose views paralleled its own, and running its own candidates where acceptable major party candidates were not put forth" [Mahoney, J. Daniel, Actions Speak Louder (New York: Arlington House), p. 23].

State headquarters opened in April 1962 as the Conservative Party, Inc. which performed the operations of the party through 1962. Due to provisions of the New York State Election Law, the party did not become an official political party until election day of that year. Red-tape was bypassed by taking over and renaming the defunct Freedom Party, Inc. Development of the party began with the creation of local party clubs which were viewed as the party's "main political resource" [Mahoney, J. Daniel, Actions Speak Louder (New York: Arlington House), p. 125]. Interim county committees were formed, and by 1963 there was a county chairman for each of New York State's 62 counties. It was not until 1964 that county committees were elected consisting of two to four members from each election district.

The party's Organizing Committee was redesignated in 1962 as the State Committee and a State Executive Committee was created. The State Committee, like the county committees, was not duly elected until 1964. It consisted of three members from each Congressional district meeting one to two times annually. The State Committee acts as a general oversight body for the party. The State Executive Committee, which meets on a regular basis, controls the implementation of policy. Party officers include the State Chairman, State Vice Chairmen, Secretary and Treasurer. The position of Executive Director was instituted to handle many of the administrative details that could no longer be performed by the State Chairman alone.

Chairmen

Kieran O'Doherty--1962

J. Daniel Mahoney--1962-1986

Serphin Maltese--1986-1988

Michael R. Long--1988-2019

Vice Chairmen

Charles Rice--1962-1969

Kieran O'Doherty--1969-1986

Executive Director

Martin J. Burgess

James D. Griffin

Serphin Maltese--1971-1986

Acquisition information:
The initial items in this manuscript group were donated to the University Libraries, M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, by the Conservative Party of New York State in March 1989. Additional materials, deposited in 2006 and 2019-2022 have been integrated into the collection.
Processing information:

Processed in 1990 by Cynthia A. Morrison and Geoffrey A. Huth. Processing of new accessions completed by Edward Sean Buckley and Abby Cowan in 2022.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized into 6 series.

Physical location:
The materials are located onsite in the department.

Contents


Access

Using These Materials

ACCESS:
The archives are open to the public and anyone is welcome to visit and view the collections.
RESTRICTIONS:

Access to this record group is unrestricted.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

PREFERRED CITATION:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Conservative Party Of New York State Records 1961-2016 (APAP-060). M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Conservative Party Of New York State Records).

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