Brooklyn College Library Builds Its Special Collections With Archives of Brooklyn Politicians

Brooklyn Congressman John J. Rooney (1903-1975) aboard Air Force One with President Lyndon Johnson, an old friend and ally from their days in the House of Representatives.

Anyone interested in Brooklyn politics and politicians will find a treasure trove of materials at the Archives and Special Collections Division of the Brooklyn College Library. Since the 1980s, the Archives, under the direction of Professor Anthony Cucchiara, has actively campaigned to get the papers of noted political and civic leaders who have played a role in the history of the borough. Recent acquisitions include the papers of the late New York State Assemblyman and Brooklyn powerbroker Anthony J. Genovesi, former City Councilwoman Una Clarke, and Edward Griffith, former leader of the Brooklyn delegation to the New York State Assembly.

"This is an important collection, both for the study of political science and for Brooklyn history," says Cucchiara. The collection started in 1988 with the acquisition of the papers of Brooklyn Congressmen John J. Rooney and Eugene Keogh, two Irish-American Democrats who represented Brooklyn in Congress for more than thirty years. "The Rooney papers are amazing," Cucchiara points out. "His district covered the waterfront of Brooklyn, from Red Hook to Greenpoint, and Rooney was involved in everything that went on."

Other collections include the papers of Congressman Francis Dorn, a Republican who represented Park Slope from 1952 to 1960, when he lost to future New York Governor Hugh Carey; Peter J. McGuinniss, an indomitable Democratic district leader from Greenpoint in the first half of the twentieth century; and Roy Richardson, a physician, lawyer, and judge and who, as president of the Brooklyn Heights Association from 1939 to 1949, saved Brooklyn Heights from demolition by Robert Moses, who wanted to run the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway through the historic section. Brooklyn College alumna Susan D. Alter, a City Council member from 1978 to 1993, also has her papers stored at the Archives and Special Collections Division.

Donning a Hibernian top hat for a St. Patrick's Day celebration is Rooney (right) and the then-Vice President of the United States, Richard Nixon.

Papers donated to the library are processed by Brooklyn College archivists and students and housed in special climate-controlled stacks in the Brooklyn College Library, which has recently undergone a $72 million expansion. "We are always on the lookout for more material," says Professor Cucchiara, who writes letters to retired politicians with the hopes of luring their collected papers to the library.

For more information about the Brooklyn College Library's Archives and Special Collections Division, call (718) 951-5346 and ask to speak to the associate archivist, Marianne LaBatto, or e-mail Marianne@brooklyn.cuny.edu.

Rooney shakes hands with President Kennedy, who hopes to make a good impression on the powerful chairman of the state, justice and commerce subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.