Basil Paterson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Basil Alexander Paterson (April 27, 1926[1] –), a labor lawyer, is a longtime political leader in New York and Harlem and father of the 55th Governor of New York. His mother was Jamaican, his father Curaçaoan/Grenadian.[2][3][clarify]
"I got out of high school when I was 16," Basil Paterson told New York Times columnist Bob Herbert, "and the first real job I had was with a wholesale house in the old Port Authority building, down on 18th Street. We'd pack and load these trucks that went up and down in huge elevators. Every year there would be a Christmas party for the employees at some local hotel. Those of us who worked in the shipping department were black. We got paid not to go to the party."[4]
Paterson was born in Harlem on April 27, 1926, the son of Leonard J. and Evangeline (Rondon) Paterson.[5] His mother once served as a secretary for Marcus Garvey.[1] In 1942, at the age of 16, Paterson graduated from De Witt Clinton High School in the Bronx. His studies continued at St. John's University where his college studies were interrupted by a two year stint in the army during World War Two. He graduated in 1948 with a B.S. in biology. This was followed by admission to St. John's Law School, where he received the degree of Juris Doctor in 1951.[1][6]
Paterson became involved in Democratic politics in Harlem in the 1950s and 1960s. Along with former New York Mayor David Dinkins, former Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton, and Congressman Charles Rangel, Paterson is a leader of the "Harlem Clubhouse," which has dominated Harlem politics since the 1960s.
In 1965 Paterson was elected to the New York State Senate representing the Upper West Side of New York City and Harlem.[4] He gave up his Senate seat in 1970 to run for lieutenant governor, as the running mate of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg. The Goldberg/Paterson ticket lost to the Republican ticket of incumbent Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and Lt. Gov. Malcolm Wilson.
In 1978, Paterson was appointed as a Deputy Mayor of New York City by then Mayor Ed Koch. He stepped down as deputy mayor in 1979 to become New York Secretary of State, and served until the end of the Hugh Carey administration in 1983.
Currently, Paterson is a Member of the law firm of Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C., where he is co-chair of the firm's Labor practice.[6]
Paterson is the father of New York Governor David Paterson, who was elected lieutenant governor on November 7, 2006 on a ticket with Gov. Eliot Spitzer. David Paterson became governor on March 17, 2008, after Spitzer resigned. When his son became lieutenant governor, Basil Paterson said that fact may actually "get in the way" of his livelihood as a negotiator and lawyer for the hospital workers and Teamsters unions.[7]
[edit] 1970 New York State Democratic Ticket
- Governor: Arthur Goldberg
- Lieutenant Governor: Basil Paterson
- Comptroller: Arthur Levitt
- Attorney General: Adam Walinsky
- U.S. Senate: Richard Ottinger
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Basil A. Paterson Biography. The HistoryMakers (2007-01-18).
- ^ Best, Tony. "Paterson claims Caribbean roots", The Daily Nation, 2008-03-16.
- ^ New NY Govenor is son of Caribbean nationals. Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
- ^ a b Herbert, Bob. "The Winds of Albany", The New York Times, 2008-03-15.
- ^ Phelps, Shirelle (editor) (1998). Who's Who Among African Americans (11th Edition). Detroit, Michigan, London: Gale Research, 1005. ISBN 0-7876-2469-1.
- ^ a b Basil A. Paterson. Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C.. Retrieved on 2008-04-19.
- ^ Roberts, Sam. "Paterson & Son, Offices in Harlem and Albany", The New York Times, 2006-12-27.
[edit] External Links
- Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C. - Biography official site
| Preceded by ? |
New York State Senate, 31st District 1966 |
Succeeded by Ivan Warner |
| Preceded by ? |
New York State Senate, 27th District 1967–1970 |
Succeeded by Sidney von Luther |
| Preceded by Mario Cuomo |
Secretary of State of New York 1979 - 1983 |
Succeeded by Gail Shaffer |
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