Collections : [New York State Modern Political Archive]

This collection documents the day-to-day activities of Council 82, the New York State Law Enforcement Officers Union, during its first two decades of existence.

The Daniel Evan Button Papers contain Button's records of his terms as a U.S. Representative of the 29th Congressional District of New York.

This series contains correspondence regarding specific subjects during Button's time as a U.S. Representative. Many of his constituents ask him for White House flags and agricultural yearbooks, but there are other notable topics as well. These include Albany's Arbor Hill neighborhood (attempts to better the community), General Electric, Laos, Cambodia, protest letters, requests for Congressional intervention, questions about HUAC, the Chicago 7, Vietnam, the Cold War, and President Richard Nixon.

Born in Leavenworth, Kansas, Schein was a pioneer in the development of educational television and radio in New York State. During graduate study at Boston University, he became active in fundraising to help establish Boston's educational television station, WGBH and served on the Massachusetts Citizens Committee on Educational Television. In 1955, Schein came to Schenectady and served as associate producer and first president of the Mohawk-Hudson Council on Educational Television, where he produced instructional programs for in-school use broadcast over WRGB-TV. Schein led the effort to launch the second public television station in New York State, Schenectady's WMHT in 1962, and was executive director and later general manager. He was instrumental in the addition of the all classical music radio station WMHT-FM in 1972 and the Radio Information Service (RISE), a radio reading service for the blind and print handicapped in 1978. He retired in 1986 as general manager, after concluding negotiations for the acquisition of Channel 45, WMHQ. The collection contains newsletters, programs and schedules, meeting minutes, photographs, and Schein's files as president of Mohawk-Hudson Council on Educational Television, and files as executive director and general manager of WMHT.

These records document the activities and membership of the Empire State Federation of Women's Clubs (ESFWC) - the umbrella organization of New York State African-American women's groups - from 1938-1991. The collection also includes records from affiliated organizations: the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC) and the Northeast Federation of Women's Clubs (NFWC).

This series contains materials detailing the organizational structure and functions of the ESFWC. Records include photocopies of the ESFWC's 1927 certificate of incorporation and the 1987 documents amending its incorporation, annual reports of the president (1974-1975, 1977), the ESFWC constitution and bylaws (c. 1966, 1968, 1978), membership cards (c.1970, 1981), membership directories and club rosters (1963, circa1965, 1966, 1970, 1973-1977, 1983), newsletters (c.1955, 1960, 1965, circa1971, 1974-1976, 1978-80), reports of the Constitution Revision Committee (1976, circa1987), and state programs of action (1980, circa1982). Other materials include the ESFWC song (1971?), a prayer litany (undated), records documenting annual observances of Harriet Tubman Day (1974-1975), and a partial organizational history (1952). Also included are materials documenting the activities of a constituent club, the F. Willia Davis Woman's Club of New Rochelle (1979), and biographical information about several club members (1971, 1973, 1978-1981, 1987).

The Frederic S. Berman Papers predominantly document his service in the New York State Senate through correspondence, newsclippings, bills, research material and campaign literature. In addition, there are files pertaining to his post-Senatorial career as the Commissioner of the New York City Rent and Housing Department and as a New York City Criminal Court Judge.

Series 1, Senatorial Papers, consists of subject files collected by Frederic Berman during his campaign for and term as a New York State Senator. The folders in this series are arranged alphabetically, according to the subjects assigned by Berman.

The Guy Gabrielson Papers contain materials that document the political career of Guy George Gabrielson from his start in New Jersey state politics through his years as Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Many of the materials document the 1952 U.S. Presidential election and Republican National Committee Convention which Gabrielson presided over as chairman.

Subject files largely consisting of retained records of local organizations dedicated to preserving Albany, New York historic neighborhoods and architecture as well as the Pine Bush.

Union founded at General Electric's Schenectady, NY plant after the passage of the Wagner Act.

Series 3 contains correspondence, memos, pamphlets, receipts, and related materials concerning the union, GE, and community issues. The series contains material related to the financial organization of the union and to the strikes of the 1940s, 1960s, and 1980s as well. All strike materials are located in this series with some exceptions. News clippings appear in this series, while full newspapers of are found in Series 5.

The James Joseph Delaney Papers, 1950-1978, document Delaney's extensive tenure in Congress. Elected in November 1948, Delaney remained in Congress until his retirement in December 1978. Delaney served as Congressman from Queens, New York and his three decades in Washington are distinguished by consecutive elections to chairman of the House Rules Committee and the addition of the 1958 Delaney Clause to the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Series 1: Legislative Files is divided into three Sub-series: Sub-series 1: Chemical Additives in Food and Drug contains legislative files, news clippings and correspondence from Delaney's campaign to have cancer-causing agents banned from food, drugs and cosmetics; Sub-series 2: Education Files focuses on Delaney's support of Federal Aid for public and private education including the tuition voucher system and consists of news clippings, House Resolution (H.R.) jackets, and correspondence; and Sub-series 3: Subject Files consist of statements, releases, H.R. jackets and correspondence that relate to various political issues of interest to Delaney.

Jeanne Casatelli is a native of East Greenbush, New York, who has fought sprawl in her hometown for more than twenty years.