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Affiliation | American Labor |
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Name | Vito Marcantonio |
Address | East Harlem, New York , United States |
Email | None |
Website | None |
Born |
December 10, 1902
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Died | August 09, 1954
(51 years)
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Contributor | nystate63 |
Last Modifed | E Pluribus Unum Jan 13, 2023 05:00pm |
Tags |
Italian - Single - Catholic - Straight -
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Info | Vito Marcantonio was born in East Harlem, New York City on 10th December, 1902. The son of Italian immigrants, Marcantonio was a successful student and despite his poor background eventually managed to enter New York University Law School. While at university Marcantonio became involved in politics and joined the Republican Party.
In 1926 Marcantonio was admitted to the bar and worked as a lawyer in New York City and served as assistant United States district attorney (1930-31). In 1933 Marcantonio played an important role in the successful election campaign of Fiorello La Guardia as mayor of New York City. Seen as La Guardia's heir apparent, Marcantonio was elected to Congress in 1934 where he represented East Harlem's 20th District.
An outspoken politician with left-wing views, Marcantonio was defeated in 1936 but won the seat back in 1938 as the American Labor Party candidate. A strong supporter of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, Marcantonio held the seat for the next twelve years. In Congress he argued that the "unemployed are victims of an unjust economic and social system which has failed." Marcantonio was also an outspoken supporter of African American Civil Rights.
During the Second World War Marcantonio played an active role in the American Committee for Russian War Relief. Along with Fiorello La Guardia, Charlie Chaplin, Wendell Willkie, Orson Welles, Rockwell Kent and Pearl Buck, Marcantonio campaigned during the summer of 1942 for the opening of a second-front in Europe.
In Congress he was one of the strongest opponents of Joe McCarthy and the Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and was legal counsel of civil rights activist, William Du Bois.
Denounced as a secret supporter of the American Communist Party, Marcantonio lost his seat in Congress in 1950. Vito Marcantonio, who practiced law until his death on 9th August, 1954. Probably the most left-wing person to hold a seat in Congress, over 20,000 people attended Marcantonio's funeral in New York City.
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End Date |
Type |
Title |
Contributor |
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ENDORSEMENTS |
Manhattan Borough President - ALP Primary - Sep 06, 1949 |
ALP |
Ewart Guinier |
US House Speaker - Jan 03, 1949 |
I |
No Preference |
NY US President - Nov 02, 1948 |
D |
Henry A. Wallace |
US House Speaker - Jan 03, 1945 |
D |
Samuel T. "Sam" Rayburn |
US House Speaker - Jan 06, 1943 |
D |
Samuel T. "Sam" Rayburn |
US House Speaker - Jan 03, 1941 |
R |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. |
US House Speaker - Jan 03, 1939 |
R |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. |
NY District 20 - Nov 04, 1924 |
R |
Fiorello La Guardia |
NY US President - Nov 04, 1924 |
R |
Robert M. La Follette |
NY US President - Nov 02, 1920 |
D |
Parley P. Christensen |
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