Herman D. Farrell Jr.
Herman D. Farrell Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Chair of theNew York Democratic Party | |
| In office December 2001 – December 31, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Judith H. Hope |
| Succeeded by | June O'Neill/David Pollak |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly from the71stdistrict | |
| In office January 1, 1983 – September 5, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Geraldine L. Daniels |
| Succeeded by | Al Taylor |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly from the 74th district | |
| In office January 1, 1975 – December 31, 1982 | |
| Preceded by | Mark T. Southall |
| Succeeded by | Louis Niñé |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 4, 1932 New York City,New York,U.S. |
| Died | May 26, 2018(aged 86) New York City,New York,U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 3 |
Herman Daniel “Denny” Farrell Jr.(February 4, 1932 – May 26, 2018) was an American politician fromNew York.He was aDemocraticmember of theNew York State Assemblyrepresenting theManhattanneighborhoods ofWest Harlem,InwoodandWashington Heightsfrom 1975 to 2017.
Early life[edit]
Farrell was born February 4, 1932, in Manhattan. His parents, Herman Sr. and Amy Gladys, owned a dress shop. He graduated fromGeorge Washington High SchoolinWashington Heights.Before working in politics, he was an auto mechanic.
He worked for MayorJohn Lindsay,then, in 1966, began work as a confidential aide to a state Supreme Court justice.
Political career[edit]
In 1970, he was elected a Democratic state committeeman. First elected to the New York Assembly in 1974, Farrell was a longtime Chairman of the powerful Assembly Ways and Means Committee, as well as a member of the Assembly Rules Committee and the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus. He previously served as Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Banks from 1979 to 1994.
Farrell played a pivotal role in the passage of several significant pieces of legislation, including the Omnibus Consumer Protection and Banking Legislation Act, which established a toll-free number at the New York State Banking Department that dispenses information aboutcredit card interestrates, fees and grace periods, and a mandate for banks to furnish low-cost checking accounts to its customers. He also played an important role in the passage of the Neighborhood Preservation Companies Act, whereby New York State funds community organizations that "provide tenant advocacy."
However, Farrell is most widely known for having been a prominent member of the state (and to a lesser extent, national)Democratic Party.He was first elected as a Democratic State Committeeman in 1970, serving a two-year term. Subsequently, he was elected as the leader of theNew York CountyDemocratic Party (1981–2009)[1]and Vice-Chair of the New York State Democratic Party, in which capacity he served for a decade. He was Chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee from 2001 to 2006. He also served as a member of theDemocratic National Committee.Farrell resigned from the State Assembly in September 2017.
Campaign for Mayor[edit]
Farrell entered the Democratic primary againstEd Kochin the1985 election for mayor.Although Farrell's entry into the race initially created some bad blood,David Dinkinscredited him for paving the way for Dinkins’ victory in1989.[2]
Farrell's late entry into the race was a surprise to the party and caused a split between party leaders in Manhattan and the outer boroughs and between black and Latino politicians. At the time, Bronx Borough PresidentHerman Badillobelieved he would win the endorsement of the Coalition for a Just New York, one of the city's black political organizations, to form a coalition that could unseat Koch.[3]
He recovered from an attempt by Council PresidentCarol Bellamyto remove him from the ballot but still fared poorly taking 13% of the vote and finishing third behind Bellamy and Koch.[4]
Following the split, black leaders from around New York City met to settle past differences and focus on uniting for future elections. David Dinkins strength with black voters helped him defeat Koch in 1989 to become mayor.[5]
Later life[edit]
A pedestrian bridge constructed inRiverside Parkin late 2017 was named after Farrell as it was located within his Assembly district.[6]
Farrell died of heart failure on May 26, 2018, at the age of 86.[7][2]
Further reading[edit]
- John C. Walker,The Harlem Fox:J. Raymond Jonesat Tammany 1920:1970,New York: State University New York Press, 1989.
- David N. Dinkins,A Mayor's Life: Governing New York's Gorgeous Mosaic,PublicAffairs Books, 2013
- Rangel, Charles B.;Wynter, Leon (2007).And I Haven't Had a Bad Day Since: From the Streets of Harlem to the Halls of Congress.New York: St. Martin's Press.
- Paterson, DavidBlack, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity.New York, New York, 2020
References[edit]
- ^New York County Democratic Leaders
- ^abMcShane, Larry (May 27, 2018)."Longtime Harlem assemblyman Herman Farrell dead at 86".New York Daily News.RetrievedMay 27,2018.
- ^Schmalz, Jeffrey (February 18, 1985)."Endorsement of Farrell Splits Minority Caucus".New York Times.p. B1.RetrievedJuly 5,2019.
- ^Lynn, Frank (September 11, 1985)."Koch Takes Primary Easily; Stein and Dinkins Also Win Backing of City Democrats".New York Times.p. A1.RetrievedJuly 5,2019.
- ^Terry, Don (September 17, 1989)."Blacks Started Dinkin's Bid In a Symbolic River-Crossing".New York Times.p. 1.RetrievedJuly 5,2019.
- ^Walsh, Kevin,"Herman" Denny "Farrell Bridge"January 16, 2018
- ^Roberts, Sam (May 26, 2018)."Herman D. Farrell Jr., of Harlem's Political Old Guard, Dies at 86".New York Times.p. B5.RetrievedMay 27,2018.
External links[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1932 births
- 2018 deaths
- Politicians from Manhattan
- African-American state legislators in New York (state)
- Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly
- George Washington Educational Campus alumni
- 2000 United States presidential electors
- 2004 United States presidential electors
- 21st-century American politicians
- New York State Democratic Committee
- 21st-century African-American politicians
- 20th-century African-American people