Max Berking was a Democratic Party activist who served in the New York State Senate during the years 1964-1965. Born in 1917, Berking was raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, where his grandfather was a Republican State Senator. He attended Brunswick School in Greenwich and Williams College in western Massachusetts, where he was exposed to liberal politics by the professor and columnist Max Lerner. During World War II he served on the Fair Employment Practice Committee, which worked to fight discrimination in war industries. After the war Berking established an ad agency in Manhattan and settled in the Westchester County city of Rye, where he served as Rye Democratic Party Chairman. In 1964, Berking ran to fill the remaining year of a four-year term as New York State Senator from the 30th District, which at that time encompassed southeastern Westchester County. He served until 1965 and was not reelected. Following his departure from the Senate Berking remained active in local politics. From 1971 to 1975 he served as chairman of the Westchester County Democratic Party. In 1982 he retired to Northport, Florida, where he died in 1997.
From the description of Max Berking papers, 1964-1965. (University at Albany). WorldCat record id: 427552660
