Tyson, Cyril D.

Born in 1927 in New York City, Cyril de Grasse Tyson held a number of positions in New York City government agencies, several during the administration of Mayor John Lindsay. From 1958 to1960, he was with the City of New York's Commission on Intergroup Relations. He held three administrative positions with the Commission on Human Rights, between 1960-1963, first, as director of the Education Unit in the Community Relations Division, then chief of the Community Relations Division, followed by his appointment to chief of the Business and Employment Division. In 1963 Tyson was hired as the project director of Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited in Central Harlem, an organization that worked to increase opportunities for young people who lived in Harlem. He later became the executive director of HARYOU-ACT. Tyson then applied his expertise in Newark, New Jersey where he became executive director of that city's United Community Corporation.

Among other positions, Tyson was the deputy administrator of the Human Resources Administration, commissioner of its Manpower and Career Development Agency in New York, 1966-1970, and vice president of Public and Community Affairs of The City College of New York, 1978-1985. From 1985-1990 he was with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and served as the assistant director for Community and Intergovernmental Relations of the Government, Community and Public Affairs Department, 1985-1987, and then assistant director of the Office of Transportation Planning. Tyson had the distinction of being the first African American to hold most, if not all, of the positions that he held.

Tyson researched and wrote three books based upon his experiences working with urban poverty and manpower programs: "The 'Unconditional War' on Poverty and the Use of Computer Technology by Community Action Agencies, 1965-1972" (1997); "2 Years Before the Riot! Newark, New Jersey and the United Community Corporation Inc., 1964-1966: the Full, Real Story of the Anti-Poverty Program" (2000); and "Power and Politics in Central Harlem, 1962-1964: the Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited Experience" (2004). He co-edited Technological Development in Nigeria, published in 1979, and wrote and edited various manuals and articles in the fields of transportation, management and education. From 1970 to 1971 he was a Teaching Fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, Institute of Politics, and was a research associate at Harvard's Program on Technology and Society. Tyson has also given addresses about poverty, labor, social service agencies and related topics.

From the description of Cyril D. Tyson papers, 1961-2004 (bulk 1961-1971) (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 183411114