Browne, Henry Joseph, 1919-1980.

Father Henry Joseph Browne, born in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in 1919, was an historian, archivist, and community activist. He entered the Catholic priesthood as a young man and devoted himself, for a while, to a scholarly and ecclesiastical life. He received his Ph.D. in history from the Catholic University of America where he went on to serve as a faculty member in church history and the University Archivist. Upon leaving that position he returned to New York to teach first at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, then Cathedral College, and finally Rutgers University in New Jersey.

His primary research interests were in social and labor history as well as church history, particularly in New York City. He published a number of pamphlets and articles on these issues, and a book on the history of the Catholic Knights of Labor. Additionally, he did extensive research on and drafted a biography of John Hughes, the first archbishop of New York.

Upon Browne's return to New York after his tenure at the Catholic University of America, he became deeply involved in left-wing political activities and made a name for himself as a committed community and anti-war activist in the 1960s. He was active in both religious and secular social justice organizations such as the New York City Council against Poverty, the Catholic Committee on Urban Ministry, and the Priests' Senate. He strongly opposed the urban renewal activities displacing lower income tenants on New York's Upper West side and worked actively with community housing organizations such as the Strycker's Bay Housing Development to retain low-income housing options in New York City.

In the last decade of his life Browne left the priesthood, though he was never officially defrocked, and settled in Paterson, NJ with his long-time partner, Flavia Alaya, and their three children. He took a job with Rutgers University and continued teaching almost until his death in 1980.

From the description of Henry Joseph Browne papers, 1797-1980. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 299029140

BIOGHIST REQUIRED Father Henry Joseph Browne, born in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in 1919, was an historian, archivist, and community activist. He entered the Catholic priesthood as a young man and devoted himself, for a while, to a scholarly and ecclesiastical life. He received his Ph.D. in history from the Catholic University of America where he went on to serve as a faculty member in church history and the University Archivist. Upon leaving that position he returned to New York to teach first at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, then Cathedral College, and finally Rutgers University in New Jersey.

BIOGHIST REQUIRED His primary research interests were in social and labor history as well as church history, particularly in New York City. He published a number of pamphlets and articles on these issues, and a book on the history of the Catholic Knights of Labor. Additionally, he did extensive research on and drafted a biography of John Hughes, the first archbishop of New York.

BIOGHIST REQUIRED Upon Browne's return to New York after his tenure at the Catholic University of America, he became deeply involved in left-wing political activities and made a name for himself as a committed community and anti-war activist in the 1960s. He was active in both religious and secular social justice organizations such as the New York City Council against Poverty, the Catholic Committee on Urban Ministry, and the Priests' Senate. He strongly opposed the urban renewal activities displacing lower income tenants on New York's Upper West side and worked actively with community housing organizations such as the Strycker's Bay Housing Development to retain low-income housing options in New York City.

BIOGHIST REQUIRED In the last decade of his life Browne left the priesthood, though he was never officially defrocked, and settled in Paterson, NJ with his long-time partner, Flavia Alaya, and their three children. He took a job with Rutgers University and continued teaching almost until his death in 1980.

From the guide to the Henry Joseph Browne Papers, 1797-1980, (bulk 1944-1980)., (Columbia University Rare Book and Manuscript Library, )