More on Vito Marcantonio, for whom, never enough
could be said!
An Invitation to the Marcantonio Celebration, and an Article in the NY Times follows: ============================================ The Vito Marcantonio Centennial Celebration Sunday, December 8th at 1:00PM Museum of the City of New York (Fifth Avenue and 104th Street) RSVP: 212-534-1672 x 207 Admission Fee: Suggested Donation to Museum plus
The event is co-sponsored by:
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IT'S hard to believe, in this era of the Republican Party ascendant, that there once dwelt in East Harlem a radical left-wing congressman named Vito Marcantonio. But Marcantonio is remembered by many surviving New Yorkers, most of them in their 80's and 90's, who passionately supported him during his seven terms in office, from 1935 to 1937 and 1939 to 1951. (He also ran for mayor in 1949.) Some, like former Mayor Edward I. Koch, see him as a leader with a genius for serving constituents... Next Sunday at 1 p.m., the Museum of the City of New York will celebrate Marcantonio's centennial with a gathering of historians and others who remember the congressman. Among them will be Annette Rubinstein, 92, who worked closely with Marcantonio as a board member of the American Labor Party. The other day, sitting in the modest apartment on West 71st Street that was the scene of Marcantonio's last birthday party in 1953 (he died the following year at 52), Ms. Rubinstein recalled her days with the maverick known as "the loneliest man in Congress." Her memories of Marc, as his inner circle called him, interwoven with those of other friends, colleagues and political sparring partners, provide a broad-stroke oral biography of a singular New York politician. The Early Years "His grandmother used to say to him: `Vito, either you'll be a gangster or a great man. You better be a great man.' " Annette Rubinstein "He was born on 112th Street between First and Second Avenues and was living on 116th Street between Second and Third Avenues when he died. He lived and died within four blocks. I think that's part of why the people of East Harlem loved him." Gerald Meyer, professor of history at Hostos Community College in the Bronx and author of "Vito Marcantonio: Radical Politician, 1902-1954" "Fiorello La Guardia spoke at Marc's graduation from high school. Marc was the salutatorian and spoke about the need for old-age pensions. La Guardia said, `I'm tearing up my speech and talking about the topic raised by this young man.' Later, he told Marc to call him for a job after he graduated from law school, which he did." Annette Rubinstein The Campaign "I canvassed for Marcantonio when he was first running for Congress in 1934. I was one of many. He was very, very popular. People would offer you a glass of wine or to come in and have something to eat." Fay Leviton, 88, a retired bookkeeper who worked on his campaign "During the campaign, I would get up on the roof of a sound truck under a streetlight with charcoal and a large pad and do political cartoons. Republican elephants, marching workers with picket signs, and such. People would gather to see what I was up to. When the street was full, Marcantonio would speak. He was dynamic. He was a spellbinder. He hit right on the points that bothered people. It was exhilarating." Charles Keller, 88, former art editor of The New Masses ... I'd come from canvassing with 25 pledges of support. He'd shake his head and he'd say, `Fay, you've got to do better than that.' I used to get mad. He never said to anybody, `That's great.' He'd say, `Not bad, but I think you can do better.' " Fay Leviton Representing His District "He was absolutely legendary for providing services. It was carried out on a colossal scale. He sat in his headquarters all day Saturday and Sunday. People would be given a number and waited. He would briefly speak to them and refer them to someone on his staff or one of his many volunteers. It happened every single weekend. When I researched my book, people would say things like: `Vito Marcantonio saved my son's life. He got us penicillin.' " Gerald Meyer "There was nothing too small for him to take care of. He helped people who couldn't pay the rent or the light bill, or a mother with a son in the Army who hadn't heard from him in a while." Fay Leviton
"Edward I. Koch"
Annette Rubinstein
Abby Diamond, 77, a commercial artist who worked in his Congressional office "He was not a big man. He wasn't bad-looking, but he was slight. And he was very brash. A meeting room would be full and he'd come to the front, take off his jacket, loosen his tie and pound on the table." Fay Leviton "He had the same attitude toward money as St. Francis of Assisi. He cared not for material possessions. My father, Frank, owned Timpson Bar and Grill on Southern Boulevard in the Bronx. Marcantonio was my mother's cousin. He'd say, `Frankie, you got a few dollars?' And my father would give it to him. He owed my father a sizable sum. My father waived it." ... Gerald Meyer
Annette Rubinstein His Death
Annette Rubinstein
Gerald Meyer
Annette Rubinstein
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