Herbert H. Lehman
Encyclopedia
Herbert Henry Lehman was a Democratic Party politician from New York
. He was the 45th Governor of New York from 1933 to 1942, and represented New York in the United States Senate
from 1950 to 1957.
in 1878, was the son of German-Jewish immigrant Mayer Lehman, one of the three founders of the Lehman Brothers
investment banking firm. Herbert Lehman attended what is now The Dwight School
. A graduate of Williams College
(Class of 1899), he became a partner of Lehman Brothers with his brother Arthur and cousin Philip
in 1908.
.
The couple had three children, Hilda, Peter, and John. All three served in the United States Military during World War II
; Peter was killed while on active duty.
According to a group history that was published April 6, 1944 the Governor's son was to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The medal was set to be awarded to Peter on his father's 70th birthday.
in 1928 and 1930, and resigned from Lehman Brothers upon taking office. He then served four terms as Governor of New York
from 1933 and 1942, elected in 1932, 1934, 1936 and 1938. Unlike Smith, Lehman was a supporter of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "New Deal
" policies and implemented a program in the same spirit in New York.
On December 3, 1942, he resigned the governorship less than a month before the end of his term to accept an appointment as Director of Foreign Relief and Rehabilitation Operations for the United States Department of State
. He served as Director-General of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
from 1943 to 1946.
Herbert Lehman was the Democratic Nominee for U.S. Senator from New York in 1946 and also ran on the Liberal
and American Labor
tickets, but was defeated by the Republican candidate Irving Ives
. In 1949
, he ran again, this time in a special election to serve the remainder of Robert F. Wagner
's term. Lehman defeated John Foster Dulles
, who had been appointed to fill the vacancy temporarily after Wagner's resignation, and took his seat on January 3, 1950. In this campaign he ran on the Democratic and Liberal tickets, with the American Labor Party urging their members not to vote for any candidate. In 1950, he was re-elected to a full term running on the Democratic and Liberal lines and opposed by the American Labor Party.
Lehman was one of two senators who were opposed to nominating Mississippi
Senator James O. Eastland to be Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. (The other was Wayne L. Morse
of Oregon
.) He was also an early and vocal opponent of Senator Joseph McCarthy
(R-Wis.). Lehman was one of the most liberal Senators and not considered part of the Senate "club" of insiders. He retired from the Senate after his full term, and was not a candidate for renomination or reelection in 1956.
and Thomas K. Finletter
in the late 1950s and early 1960s to support the reform Democratic movement in Manhattan that eventually defeated longtime Tammany Hall
boss Carmine DeSapio
.
Among other activities after his retirement from the Senate, he founded the Lehman Children's Zoo (now the Tisch Zoo) in Central Park, which declared that "No Adult Will Be Admitted unless Accompanied by a Child."
Lehman was the first, and until the 2007 inauguration of Eliot Spitzer
, the only Jewish Governor of New York. During much of his Senate career, he was the only Jewish senator as well. Unlike most of his Jewish constituents, who came from Eastern Europe
, Lehman's family was from Germany
.
He died of heart failure on December 5, 1963, at age 85. Lehman is interred at Kensico Cemetery
in Valhalla
, NY.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was the 45th Governor of New York from 1933 to 1942, and represented New York in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from 1950 to 1957.
Lehman Brothers
Lehman, born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1878, was the son of German-Jewish immigrant Mayer Lehman, one of the three founders of the Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
investment banking firm. Herbert Lehman attended what is now The Dwight School
Dwight School
The Dwight School is an independent, college preparatory school located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Dwight offers the International Baccalaureate curriculum to students ages two through grade twelve. Approximately forty countries are represented among its student body.-History:Founded in 1872...
. A graduate of Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
(Class of 1899), he became a partner of Lehman Brothers with his brother Arthur and cousin Philip
Philip Lehman
Philip Lehman was a Jewish-American investment banker. Born in New York City to Emanuel and Pauline , his father, was a co-founder of investment bank, Lehman Brothers. Philip became a partner in the family-owned firm in 1887 and was the firm's managing partner from 1901 to 1925...
in 1908.
Military and family
Lehman married Edith Louise Altschul in 1910. Herbert Lehman became a colonel in the U.S. Army during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The couple had three children, Hilda, Peter, and John. All three served in the United States Military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; Peter was killed while on active duty.
According to a group history that was published April 6, 1944 the Governor's son was to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The medal was set to be awarded to Peter on his father's 70th birthday.
Politics
Lehman became active in politics in 1920, and became Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Democratic Party in 1928, as a reward for being a strong supporter of Alfred E. Smith. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of New YorkLieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
in 1928 and 1930, and resigned from Lehman Brothers upon taking office. He then served four terms as Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
from 1933 and 1942, elected in 1932, 1934, 1936 and 1938. Unlike Smith, Lehman was a supporter of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
" policies and implemented a program in the same spirit in New York.
On December 3, 1942, he resigned the governorship less than a month before the end of his term to accept an appointment as Director of Foreign Relief and Rehabilitation Operations for the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
. He served as Director-General of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration was an international relief agency, largely dominated by the United States but representing 44 nations. Founded in 1943, it became part of the United Nations in 1945, was especially active in 1945 and 1946, and largely shut down...
from 1943 to 1946.
Herbert Lehman was the Democratic Nominee for U.S. Senator from New York in 1946 and also ran on the Liberal
Liberal Party of New York
The Liberal Party of New York is a minor American political party that has been active only in the state of New York. Its platform supports a standard set of social liberal policies: it supports right to abortion, increased spending on education, and universal health care.As of 2007, the Liberal...
and American Labor
American Labor Party
The American Labor Party was a political party in the United States established in 1936 which was active almost exclusively in the state of New York. The organization was founded by labor leaders and former members of the Socialist Party who had established themselves as the Social Democratic...
tickets, but was defeated by the Republican candidate Irving Ives
Irving Ives
Irving McNeil Ives was an American politician from New York.-Life:He served overseas in the U.S. Army during World War I, rising to the rank of first lieutenant before he left the army in 1919...
. In 1949
New York state election, 1949
The 1949 New York state election was held on November 8, 1949, to elect a judge of the New York Court of Appeals and a U.S. Senator.-Background:...
, he ran again, this time in a special election to serve the remainder of Robert F. Wagner
Robert F. Wagner
Robert Ferdinand Wagner I was an American politician. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New York from 1927 to 1949.-Origin and early life:...
's term. Lehman defeated John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles served as U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. He was a significant figure in the early Cold War era, advocating an aggressive stance against communism throughout the world...
, who had been appointed to fill the vacancy temporarily after Wagner's resignation, and took his seat on January 3, 1950. In this campaign he ran on the Democratic and Liberal tickets, with the American Labor Party urging their members not to vote for any candidate. In 1950, he was re-elected to a full term running on the Democratic and Liberal lines and opposed by the American Labor Party.
Lehman was one of two senators who were opposed to nominating Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Senator James O. Eastland to be Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. (The other was Wayne L. Morse
Wayne Morse
Wayne Lyman Morse was a politician and attorney from Oregon, United States, known for his proclivity for opposing his parties' leadership, and specifically for his opposition to the Vietnam War on constitutional grounds....
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.) He was also an early and vocal opponent of Senator Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
(R-Wis.). Lehman was one of the most liberal Senators and not considered part of the Senate "club" of insiders. He retired from the Senate after his full term, and was not a candidate for renomination or reelection in 1956.
Retirement
After his retirement from the Senate, Lehman remained politically active, working with Eleanor RooseveltEleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
and Thomas K. Finletter
Thomas K. Finletter
Thomas Knight Finletter , was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman.-Biography:Finletter was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Thomas Dickson Finletter and Helen Grill Finletter...
in the late 1950s and early 1960s to support the reform Democratic movement in Manhattan that eventually defeated longtime Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
boss Carmine DeSapio
Carmine DeSapio
Carmine Gerard DeSapio was an American politician from New York City. He was the last head of the Tammany Hall political machine to be able to dominate municipal politics.-Life:...
.
Among other activities after his retirement from the Senate, he founded the Lehman Children's Zoo (now the Tisch Zoo) in Central Park, which declared that "No Adult Will Be Admitted unless Accompanied by a Child."
Lehman was the first, and until the 2007 inauguration of Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
, the only Jewish Governor of New York. During much of his Senate career, he was the only Jewish senator as well. Unlike most of his Jewish constituents, who came from Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, Lehman's family was from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Final years and death
Lehman spent much of the last two years of his life in his New York City home. He celebrated his 85th birthday in March 1963 but by this time he was suffering from serious health problems.He died of heart failure on December 5, 1963, at age 85. Lehman is interred at Kensico Cemetery
Kensico Cemetery
Kensico Cemetery, located in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York, was founded in 1889, when many New York City cemeteries were becoming full, and rural cemeteries were being created near the railroads which served the city...
in Valhalla
Valhalla
In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
, NY.
Honors
- Herbert H. Lehman died in 1963 and was interred in the Kensico CemeteryKensico CemeteryKensico Cemetery, located in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York, was founded in 1889, when many New York City cemeteries were becoming full, and rural cemeteries were being created near the railroads which served the city...
in Valhalla, New YorkValhalla, New YorkValhalla is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place that is located within the town of Mount Pleasant, New York, in Westchester County. Its population was 3,162 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
. That same year, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of FreedomPresidential Medal of FreedomThe Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...
. - Lehman CollegeLehman CollegeLehman College is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, USA. Founded in 1931 as the Bronx campus of Hunter College, the school became an independent college within the City University in 1968. The college is named after Herbert Lehman, a former New York governor,...
of the City University of New York is named after him; a bust of Lehman, by sculptorSculptureSculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
John Belardo, was dedicated there in September 2005. The High School of American Studies at Lehman CollegeHigh School of American Studies at Lehman CollegeRanked 19th best in country by .The school is administered by the New York City Department of Education. It receives supplementary funding from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History....
is located on the campus. College dormitories are named in his honor at Williams CollegeWilliams CollegeWilliams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, the University at BuffaloUniversity at Buffalo, The State University of New YorkUniversity at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
, and at Binghamton UniversityBinghamton UniversityBinghamton University, also formally called State University of New York at Binghamton, , is a public research university in the State of New York. The University is one of the four university centers in the State University of New York system...
. - A ship on the Staten Island FerryStaten Island FerryThe Staten Island Ferry is a passenger ferry service operated by the New York City Department of Transportation that runs between the boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island.-Overview:...
, The Governor Herbert H. Lehman, is named for him. She was retired in 2007 after 42 years of service and has been sold for scrap. - There is a Herbert H. Lehman Center for American History at Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. His papers were donated to the Columbia University LibrariesColumbia University Library SystemThe Columbia University Libraries is the library system of Columbia University. With over 10.4 million volumes, is the sixth largest academic library in the United States; it is the third largest library — and the largest academic library — in the State of New York...
and are housed in the social sciences library which is also named in his honor. In addition, Columbia has a Herbert Lehman Professorship of government, which is currently held by Mahmood MamdaniMahmood MamdaniMahmood Mamdani is an academic, author and political commentator. He is a Professor and Director of the at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, and the Herbert Lehman Professor of Government at Columbia University, New York. He grew up in Uganda and acquired his B.A from the University of...
. Columbia's sister school, Barnard CollegeBarnard CollegeBarnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
, has a building named in Lehman's honor; it houses Barnard's library and some social sciences departments. Williams CollegeWilliams CollegeWilliams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, his alma mater, named a dormitory after him in 1928. - Lehman High SchoolHerbert H. Lehman High SchoolHerbert H. Lehman High School is a public high school at 3000 East Tremont Avenue, in the Bronx, New York City, U.S.A. The school is named after former New York State Governor Herbert Henry Lehman...
located on Westchester Square in The Bronx, New York (est. 1974) is also named in his honor. - In 1974, Herbert H. Lehman was inducted into the Jewish-American Hall of Fame.
- Moshav LimanLiman, IsraelLiman is a moshav in the Western Galilee in northern Israel, located about north of Nahariya. It belongs to the Mateh Asher Regional Council and the Moshavim Movement....
in northern Israel is named after him. - Lehman's quote, "It is immigrants who brought this land the skills of their hands and brains to make of it a beacon of opportunity and hope for all men." is inscribed on the extended-pages version of the American Passport on page 45.
External links
- The Herbert H. Lehman Center for American History at Columbia University, with pictures of Lehman.
- Lehman Special Correspondence Files Website at Columbia University Libraries.
- Lehman's opening speech at the 1939 World's FairWorld's FairWorld's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, on The History Channel's Speech Archive