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Fiorello H. La Guardia papers, 1918-1945

Title: Fiorello H. La Guardia papers 1918-1945

Fiorello H. La Guardia (1882-1947) began his political career as deputy attorney of the state of New York in 1915. He was a representative in the U.S. Congress from 1917 to 1932 except for service in World War I and a term as president of New York's Board of Aldermen from 1919 to 1921. La Guardia ran for mayor of New York City in 1933 and served in that office for twelve years. He became director of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation program in 1945 after leaving the mayor's office. Papers document La Guardia's career as a congressman, president of the Board of Aldermen and three-term mayor of New York. The two largest portions of the collection are the congressional and mayoral correspondence files. Congressional correspondence, ca. 1918-1933, includes letters received and carbons of responses written either by La Guardia or by his secretary on his behalf, clippings, greeting cards, printed House bills, invitations, photographs, memoranda, notes, press releases, printed matter, and telegrams. Letters from constituents concern topics such as employment and naturalization and letters from citizens around the country relate to La Guardia's stand on issues before Congress, including social issues and prohibition. Mayoral correspondence files, 1933-1945, consist largely of correspondence with members of the public who wrote requesting help with education, employment, immigration, prison terms, and other problems; suggesting appointments for various city offices; and offering ideas, opinions and appreciation. Very little appears to document the daily operations of city business. Also included is a small group of press releases; typescript and printed speeches, articles, and other writings; printed matter; flight logbook, 1917-1919, kept by La Guardia on the Italian front; scrapbooks of clippings; and miscellaneous papers on a variety of topics (of note among these are photographs, printed matter and correspondence.

ArchivalResource: 62 linear feet (76 boxes and 2 scrapbooks); 54 microfilm reels

http://archives.nypl.org/mss/1673 View