Halpern, Seymour, 1913-1997

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Seymour Halpern (November 19, 1913 – January 10, 1997) was an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he notably served as the U.S. Representative from New York's 4th (1959-1963) and 6th (1963-1973) congressional districts.

Born in New York City, he graduated from Richmond Hill High School and attended Seth Low College of Columbia University from 1932 to 1934. Halpern worked as a newspaper reporter in New York and Chicago from 1931 to 1933 and also engaged in the insurance business. He was a staff assistant to Mayor Fiorello La Guardia in 1937; and an assistant to the President of the New York City Council from 1938 to 1940. He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1941 to 1954, sitting in the 163rd, 164th, 165th, 166th, 167th, 168th and 169th New York State Legislatures. He also served as a member of the Temporary State Commission to Revise the Civil Service Laws from 1952 to 1954. He was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for election to the 84th Congress in 1954. He was a member of Mayor's Committee on Courts from 1956 to 1958. He also served as vice president and later chairman of the board of the Insurist Corporation of America from 1948 to 1959.

Halpern was elected as a Republican to the 86th, 87th, 88th, 89th, 90th, 91st and 92nd United States Congresses, holding office from January 3, 1959, to January 3, 1973. According to the 1972 edition of The Almanac of American Politics, Halpern was "one of the most liberal Republicans in the House." When Halpern's district was combined with that of Representative Lester Wolff, he chose not to run for re-election in 1972. After leaving Congress, he worked in public relations.

Halpern died in Southampton, New York and was buried at Mount Lebanon Cemetery in the Glendale section of Queens.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Rohmer, Sax, 1886-1959. Autograph letter signed : [n.p.], to Seymour Halpern, 1930 Feb. 21. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Another Mother for Peace Records Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC
referencedIn Records of the National Organization for Women, 1959-2002 (inclusive), 1966-1998 (bulk) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Van Dine, S. S. Letter to Seymour Halpern, 1929 August 2. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn World Jewish Congress Records, 1918-1982 (bulk 1940-1980) The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
referencedIn Harris, L. mss., 1931-1977 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Wilkins, George H. (George Hubert), Sir, 1888-1958. [Note] 1929 March 16, New York to Seymour Halpern, [New York] / Hubert Wilkins. Texas Tech University Libraries, Academic Library
referencedIn Rayburn, Sam, 1882-1961, Papers, 1822, 1831, 1845, 1903-2007 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Rickover, Hyman George. TLS, 1966 May 8 : "at sea, North Atlantic," to Seymour Halpern. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Halpern, Seymour Papers, 1958-1972 State University of New York at Albany. University Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
almaMaterOf Columbia University corporateBody
associatedWith Harris, Leon A. person
associatedWith La Guardia, Fiorello H. (Fiorello Henry), 1882-1947 person
associatedWith National Organization for Women. corporateBody
employeeOf New York (N.Y.). City Council corporateBody
memberOf New York (State). Legislature. Senate corporateBody
associatedWith Rayburn, Sam, 1882-1961 person
associatedWith Rickover, Hyman George. person
associatedWith Rohmer, Sax, 1886-1959. person
memberOf United States. Congress. House person
associatedWith Van Dine, S. S. person
associatedWith Wilkins, George H. (George Hubert), Sir, 1888-1958. person
associatedWith World Jewish Congress corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York City NY US
Chicago IL US
Southampton NY US
Subject
Occupation
Insurance agents
Legislative assistants
Newspaper Reporter
Public relations consultants
Representatives, U.S. Congress
State Senator
Activity

Person

Birth 1913-11-19

Death 1997-01-10

Male

Americans

English

Information

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