The Lexington Democratic Club was founded in 1949 by a group of idealistic Manhattan reformers with the goal of electing Democrats in the 9th "Silk Stocking" Assembly District, a longtime Republican stronghold. Unhappy with the Grover Cleveland Club and Tammany Hall's leadership, the Lexington Democratic Club organized to elect their own county committee members. By 1953, they controlled the positions of District Leaders and became the official Democratic club of the 9th Assembly District.
The club's stated goals were to promote the principles of the Democratic Party on national, state, and local levels; to foster honest and efficient in government; and to achieve liberal social reforms. The club focused their activist efforts on voter outreach, the abolition of poverty, and electoral and judicial reform. In addition to selecting and fundraising for Democratic candidates, they also organized petition signing and voter registration drives, and provided oversight to polls on election days. The Lexington Democratic Club is an active voice for liberal reform in local and national politics today.
From the guide to the Lexington Democratic Club records, 1948-2010, 1952-1986, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)
