Mercado, Edward, 1937-

Edward Mercado has distinguished himself in the area of public service and civil rights. A native of New York, he was born on July 18, 1937 in the South Bronx. He is also a proliFIC

and capable photographer who has been documenting Puerto Rican life for over forty years. Mercado has held government positions at the state, city and federal level. His first government job was in 1966 as Human Rights Specialist for the New York City Commission of Human Rights. In that same year, he was named Regional Director of the New York State Division of Civil Rights.

He was active in the 1966 and 1970 campaigns of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller as well as Senator Jacob K. Javits' electoral campaign in 1968. He was later appointed District Director of the Federal Anti-Poverty Programs in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, which were part of the U.S. Office of Equal Employment Opportunity. In 1989, Mercado was appointed Director of the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. In 1995 he was back in New York working for Governor George Pataki as the Director of the New York State Division of Human Rights. Among his most important accomplishments was making government more accessible and responsive to Latinos and bringing more Hispanics into government positions.

Edward Mercado has distinguished himself in the area of public service and civil rights. A native of New York, he was born on July 18, 1937 in the South Bronx. He is also a proliFIC

and capable photographer who has been documenting Puerto Rican life for over forty years. Mercado has held government positions at the state, city and federal level. His first government job was in 1966 as Human Rights Specialist for the New York City Commission of Human Rights. In that same year, he was named Regional Director of the New York State Division of Civil Rights. He was active in the 1966 and 1970 campaigns of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller as well as Senator Jacob K. Javits' electoral campaign in 1968. He was later appointed District Director of the Federal Anti-Poverty Programs in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands which were part of the U.S. Office of Equal Employment Opportunity. In 1989, Mercado was appointed Director of the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. In 1995 he was back in New York working for Governor George Pataki as the Director of the New York State Division of Human Rights. Among his most important accomplishments was making government more accessible and responsive to Latinos and bringing more Hispanics into government positions.