In any case, it's nice to have Italian Americans vying for the #1 and #2 
positions in New York City's History, in the arguably Greatest City in the 
World.

Find below the reasons why "The Little Flower" as he was affectionately referred 
to, was held in such high regard. Fiorella served as Mayor during the Depression 
when Unemployment hit 50%!! 

Click here for the Chronology.

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From the Fiorello H. LaGuardia Collection 

Standing only a little over five feet tall Fiorello H. LaGuardia's impact on 
New York City far outweighed his physical presence. Beginning as a 
Congressman representing Greenwich Village, LaGuardia soon received a 
reputation for being a fiery speaker and an untiring advocate of his 
constituents. In his first bid for the City's top position he was defeated. 
However by the 1933 election, events in New York made his election on the 
"fusion" ticket a sure thing. Serving from 1934 to 1945 he was one of only 
three modern day mayors to serve 3 consecutive terms in office. 
   
He guided the City thorough the turbulent and difficult period of the Great 
Depression and later oversaw the City's transformation into a vital component 
of The United States efforts in World War II. Propelled by boundless energy, 
LaGuardia initiated numerous reforms to combat urban poverty, rebuild 
decaying infrastructure, put thousand of New Yorkers back to work and laid 
the groundwork for what would become modern day New York. 
 
LaGuardia was born on December 11, 1882, to Achille Lugi LaGuardia, an 
Italian immigrant, who would serve as a band master in the US Army, and Irene 
Cohen a Jewish immigrant from Austria-Hungary. Although born in New York City 
LaGuardia grew up in the southwestern territories that would eventually 
become New Mexico and Arizona. This exposure to the attitudes and way of life 
in the old west would influence LaGuardia for the rest of his life. 

LaGuardia secured a position with the US Consular Service in 1901 and served 
in Budapest, Trieste and Fiume, Hungar. During his time with the consular 
service he fought to better the treatment of the immigrants then flocking to 
the United States. He urged the service to institute pre-departure medical 
exams to prevent the immigrants from the gut-wrenching experience of being 
denied admission to the United States on medical grounds. 

 In 1907 LaGuardia returned to New York and began to work at Ellis Island, 
the main port of entry into the United States. As a translator, LaGuardia 
called upon his knowledge of five languages to assist the new immigrants in 
their first steps to becoming US citizens. Simultaneously while at Ellis 
Island LaGuardia was attending Law School at night at New York University. He 
graduated in 1910 and soon after joined a law firm where he was known for 
representing immigrants, the poor and workers. 

He also began to become involved in Republican politics. In 1914 he ran for 
Congress in the heavily democratic neighborhood of Greenwich Village, 
although he lost in his first bid he ran a second time and was elected on 
November 7, 1916 to his first public office. According to the reminisces of 
his second wife, Marie Fisher LaGuardia, Fiorello did not sit quietly during 
his freshman year in Congress as was expected of new Congressmen but 
energetically and enthusiastically took part in the everyday workings of the 
Legislature. LaGuardia would remain in Congress continually until 1932, 
except for his service during World War I as a Pilot and a term as President 
of the city Board of Aldermen.

In Congress, LaGuardia established a reputation as a progressive leader. 
During the 1920's he criticized what he saw as unfair immigration 
restrictions. He opposed prohibition and fought for labor unions. In 1932 he 
co-sponsored the Norris-LaGuardia Act, which restricted Federal courts from 
issuing injunctions to stop union activities. 

In 1932 the mayoralty of New York was in crisis. Mayor Jimmy Walker had been 
forced to resign when wide spread corruption was found throughout city 
government. LaGuardia saw an opportunity and threw his hat in the ring to 
become New York's next Mayor. 

LaGuardia ran in 1933 on a broad-based Republican-fusion ticket, pledging to 
clean up city government and break the stranglehold of the Tammany machine. 
When LaGuardia's coalition won, the new mayor quickly went to work to take 
control of the city's government. He lobbied the State Assembly in Albany and 
received a new city charter. He fought to take charge of the city's finances 
from the banks and balanced the budget. 

With the City on a more solid financial rating, LaGuardia worked with the 
Roosevelt administration and received millions of dollars in direct federal 
aid from New Deal programs. These funds provided the city with temporary 
relief, and public works projects which created thousands of jobs. Within its 
first year the LaGuardia administration had built over 50 new playgrounds and 
planned 60 new parks, many in poor neighborhoods. Throughout his 
administration, slums were torn down and replaced with public housing and 
schools. Hospitals, Child and countless other social welfare projects were 
constructed to Health Stations improve the health and sanitary conditions of 
the City.
  
   By building roads, bridges, and tunnels, LaGuardia transformed the 
physical landscape of New York City. The West Side Highway, East River Drive, 
Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Triborough Bridge, and an airport bearing his name 
were all built during his mayoralty. Following up on campaign promises, 
LaGuardia launched attacks against corruption and organized crime. He 
reorganized the police force and other city agencies and cracked down on 
racketeers. 
 
During World War II LaGuardia served as Roosevelt's director of the Office of 
Civilian Defense and created national programs for rationing. LaGuardia had 
aspirations of obtaining a military appointment. His hope was to gain more 
national exposure as a leader which would assist him in a bid for the 
governorship or the presidency after the war. The military appointment never 
arrived and after the war a frustrated and disappointed LaGuardia refused to 
run for a fourth mayoral term. 

In 1946 he was appointed as the Director General of the United Nations Relief 
and Rehabilitation Administration, providing food, clothing and shelter to 
millions of Europeans displaced by World War II. He set about this project in 
true LaGuardia style. He traveled extensively throughout Europe. He met 
thousands of persons whose lives had been devastated by the war. He paid 
particular attention to the needs of the children that he found in orphanages 
and schools throughout the war ravaged continent. 

LaGuardia's efforts to rebuild Europe were cut short when, despite his best 
efforts UNRRA was disbanded at the end of December, 1946.

LaGuardia returned to New York a different man. His appearance had changed 
dramatically. The once buoyant little figure had become thin, frail and gray. 
Over the next 9 months he would make innumerable visits to the hospital in an 
attempt to diagnosis the cause of this change and the ever increasing pain 
that the bravely suffered. Throughout this time he continued to write, 
correspond and broadcast his radio program. Ultimately he was diagnosed with 
pancreatic cancer. Even so, almost until his final day he continued to 
receive guests and to adamantly speak about the direction he thought the 
City, the Nation and the World should be taking. In the end the disease 
proved to powerful for the man who saw himself as invincible. On September 
20, 1947 "The Little Flower" died. His funeral at the Cathedral of St. John 
the Divine Attracted thousands who came to say farewell.
  
LaGuardia's years as mayor marked the emergence of modern New York City. His 
spirit for action transformed a city made up of individual boroughs into a 
single entity. His vision for the modern metropolis was imbued with a sense 
of humanity. He felt a modern city of tunnels, airports and bridges must also 
have adequate housing, schools and playgrounds. Throughout his twelve years 
in office he worked tirelessly to achieve those goals. 

CHRONOLOGY

Fiorello H. LaGuardia (1882-1947)

March 26, 1849: Achille Luigi Carlo LaGuardia, father of Mayor LaGuardia, 
born in Foggia, Apulia, Part of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies. 

July 18, 1859: Irene Cohen, mother of Mayor LaGuardia, born in Trieste, 
Austria-Hungary. 

June 3, 1880 Achille LaGuardia and Irene Cohen married in a civil ceremony 
in Trieste. 

December 11, 1882: Fiorello H. LaGuardia born in New York City. 

1901-06: LaGuardia served with Consular Service in Budapest, Trieste and 
Fiume, Hungary. 

1907-10: LaGuardia worked as an interpreter in the U.S. Immigration Service 
at Ellis Island. 

1910: LaGuardia received L.L.B. (law degree) from New York University. 

January 1, 1915: As a Republican, LaGuardia appointed Deputy Attorney 
General of New York State, serving through 1917. 

November 7, 1916: LaGuardia elected to Congress from lower Manhattan's 
14th Congressional District. 

August 15, 1917: LaGuardia commissioned first lieutenant in US. Air Service. 
Later, he was promoted to captain and major, serving on Italian-Austrian 
front 
in World War I. 

March 8, 1919: LaGuardia married Thea Almerigotti in New York City; she 
died of tuberculosis in 1921. 

November 1919: LaGuardia elected President of the New York City Board 
of Aldermen. 

November 1922: LaGuardia elected to Congress from upper Manhattan's 20th 
district, and served five consecutive terms, through December 1932. 

March 8, 1932: The United States House of Representatives passed the 
Norris-LaGuardia Anti-Injunction law which protected the right of unions to 
strike; it was co-sponsored by Congressman LaGuardia. 

February 28, 1929: LaGuardia married Marie Fisher in Washington, D.C. 
hey later adopted two children -- Jean Marie and Eric. 

November 1929: LaGuardia defeated by James Walker in New York City 
mayoral race. 

November 7, 1933: LaGuardia elected New York City's 99th mayor. 

June 25, 1935: Mayor LaGuardia opened a new baby health station in the 
Bronx heralding an expansion of health services throughout the city, 

December 3, 1935: Mayor LaGuardia presided at opening of First Houses 
on Manhattan's Lower East Side, the first publicly funded housing project 
in America 

July 11, 1936: Mayor LaGuardia joined other dignitaries at opening of the 
Triborough bridge, perhaps the best example of LaGuardia's tremendous 
expansion of the city's infrastructure. 

November 3, 1937: LaGuardia re-elected Mayor with largest majority in city's 
history. 

April 30, 1939: LaGuardia addressed opening of the New York World's Fair 
at Flushing Meadow, Queens. 

October 15, 1939: LaGuardia opened New York Municipal Airport #2, the 
airport in Queens soon became Fiorello H. LaGuardia Field. 

November 1, 1939: On behalf of the city, LaGuardia signed a contract to 
acquire the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, completing the public 
takeover of the subway system. 

May 20, 1941: LaGuardia named director of the Office of Civilian Defense. 

November 4, 1941: LaGuardia re-elected as Mayor, becoming the first 
three-term mayor of Greater New York. 

June 18, 1942: LaGuardia inaugurated a series of Sunday afternoon radio 
programs called "Talks to the People" 

March-Dec. 1946: LaGuardia served as Director-General of the United 
Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. 

September 20, 1947: LaGuardia died at age 64 after a long illness. 

http://www.fiorellolaguardia.lagcc.cuny.edu/laguardia/