Julius Edelstein papers, 1917-1961, bulk 1948-1958
Summary Information
Abstract
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#1435
- Bib ID:
- 6910238 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Edelstein, Julius C. C. (Julius Caius Caesar), 1912-2005
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 76.11 linear feet (141 document boxes 33 index card boxes)
- Language(s):
- English , Hebrew .
- Access:
- You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
-
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Description
Summary
This collection holds the papers of Julius C. C. Edelstein. The records that comprise this collection primarily encompass the years in which Edelstein acted as executive assistant and Chief of Legislative Staff to Senator Herbert H. Lehman, 1949-1956. He remained Lehman's assistant through 1960. The records are primarily political in nature although there is personal correspondence of Edelstein's included. The subjects found throughout the collection are agriculture, appropriations, civil rights, civil service, defense, foreign policy and aid, health, housing, immigration, internal security, labor, minimum wage, St. Lawrence project, social security and welfare, tideland offshore oil, tariffs, taxes and veterans. The types of records that can be found are correspondence, pamphlets, government publications, clippings, press releases, statistics, maps and memoranda.
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This series contains both public and private bills introduced or co-introduced, by Herbert H. Lehman. Also found are amendments, drafts and senate resolutions regarding bills. The topics of the bills are immigration, juvenile delinquency and social security.
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Series II: Campaign Files, 1934-1960, bulk 1949-1960
Files on the campaign years 1950, 1954, 1956 and 1960 are contained here. In 1949, Lehman was elected US Senator, replacing Robert F. Wagner who retired before his term expired due to ill health. In 1950, Lehman was reelected US Senator for a full 6 year term. Lehman campaigned vigorously for the presidential elections of 1952, 1956 and 1960, supporting Stevenson in 1952 and 1954 and Kennedy in 1960. In 1954, Lehman supported Wagner for New York City Mayor and Harriman for Governor.
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Series III: Correspondence, 1923-1960, bulk 1950-1960
Series III primarily consists of correspondence directly related to the office of Senator Lehman. The majority of letters address issues surrounding immigration laws in the United States. In November of 1953, Senator Lehman called a meeting where he invited outstanding leaders of various the religious and civic organizations which had expressed concern about the racist aspects of US immigration laws. The group which participated in the meeting set up a steering committee to follow through for the purpose to help organize a campaign with the goal toward educating US citizens about the un-American nature of the country's immigration policies as designated under the McCarran-Walter Immigration Act. The steering committee set up two subcommittees: one to prepare an outline of the structure and program, and the other to prepare a statement of the policies which the National Committee would adhere. Next, the committee prepared a letter to solicit membership. The letter was mailed in early 1955 to numerous individuals resulting in 350 people accepting membership on the National Committee. The National Committee was granted a charter of incorporation in the spring of 1955 under the New York State Education Law resulting in the formation of the National Committee on Immigration and Citizenship (NCIC). The incorporators were as follows; Spyros S. Skouras, Senator William Benton, F. Ernest Johnson, Philip B. Perlman, Thomas K. Finletter, Theodore R. McKeldin, Daniel Bell and Senator Herbert H. Lehman. In conjunction with the incorporators, the following individuals were on the first board of trustees; Francis B. Sayre, Jr., Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, John O'Grady, Walter P. Reuther, Roy Williams, Thomas A. Pappas, Jefferson B. Fordham and Jane M. Hoey. The chairman of the Board of Trustees, Spyros Skouras, was unable to devote a sufficient amount of time to the affairs of the Committee so Senator Lehman accepted the chairmanship.
Throughout all three subseries there is correspondence regarding the NCIC, ADA, American Jewish Congress and American Jewish Committee because of Lehman and Edelstein's affiliation with these organizations. Office memorandums are abundant, Lehman to Edelstein and the reverse. These are usually the method by which Edelstein briefs Lehman on current news concerning his Senatorial post. The original order of the series consisted of five subseries: two arranged alphabetically, one for the years 1954-1958, and a second for 1960, one chronologically, and two titled "personal correspondence". This has been maintained with the two alpha files under subseries III.1 and subseries III.3. It should be noted that Edelstein's personal correspondence can be found in all three subseries.
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Series IV: Office Files, 1932-1960, bulk 1950-1955
Office memoranda, administrative assistants meetings, general personnel information and staff assignments and/or projects form the basis of Series IV. Edelstein's daily calendars are included in this series; these calendars note meetings and reflect Edelstein's to-do lists.
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Series V: Personal Research Files, 1928-1961, bulk 1950-1959
The Personal Research Files were labeled as such by Edelstein with a focus on the following subjects: immigration (with an emphasis on the McCarran-Walter Act), foreign policy, civil rights, communism (with an emphasis on McCarthyism), and power. The types of materials found within these files include correspondence, pamphlets, clippings, memoranda, press releases, speeches, newsletters, publications, and maps. These records are in their original order.
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Series VI: Speeches, 1952-1957
These materials consist of public releases issued by Herbert H. Lehman. All speeches, statements, Congressional and Senatorial floor remarks, letters and radio broadcasts were given by Herbert H. Lehman unless otherwise noted. Some speeches are in draft form or were not delivered.
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Series VII: Subject Files, 1917-1958, bulk 1948-1953
The materials found in this series include memoranda, speeches, referenda, statistics, clippings, press releases, and government documents directly linked to the subject of a current, pending or ongoing legislative matter. The prominent subjects are: agriculture, civil liberties, civil rights, civil service, dairy industry, defense, education, foreign policy and aid, health, housing, immigration including the NCIC, internal security bill, labor, New York State government, local and national politics, Niagara and Saint Lawrence power projects, social security and welfare, tidelands, taxes and veterans. The topical arrangement established by Edelstein has been maintained.
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Series VIII: Address Index Cards, undated
These records contain the names and addresses of individuals and organizations compiled by Edelstein. The materials are organized alphabetically with U through Z missing.
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Series IX: 2009 Accession, 1952-1963, 2009
These materials contain letters and memoranda, research files on immigration, the Democratic National Committee and policy papers by Joseph Rappaport. Also included are four photographs.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in nine series.
- Series I: Bills, 1950-1956
- Series II: Campaign Files, 1934-1960, bulk 1949-1960
- Series III: Correspondence, 1923-1960, bulk 1950-1960
- Subseries III.1: Alphabetical, 1954-1960
- Subseries III.2: Chronological, 1950-1960
- Subseries III.3: Personal, 1923-1959, bulk 1950-1959
- Series IV: Office Files, 1932-1960, bulk 1950-1955
- Series V: Personal Research Files, 1928-1961, bulk 1950-1959
- Series VI: Speeches, 1952-1957
- Series VII: Subject Files, 1917-1958, bulk 1948-1953
- Series VIII: Address Index Cards, undated
- Series IX: 2009 Accession, 1952-1963, 2009
Using the Collection
Restrictions on Access
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Julius C. C. Edelstein papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Related Materials
Julius C. C. Edelstein Office Files, 1967-2003, City University of New York Central Office Archives
The Herbert H. Lehman Papers, 1858-1963, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Accrual
No additions are expected
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
2007-2008-M51: Source of acquisition--Suzy E. E. Edelstein. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--2006.
Gift of Suzy E. E. Edelstein, 2006.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Papers processed Jennifer Comins June 2008.
2009 Accession processed Jennifer Comins April 2009.
Revision Description
2009-03-05 File created.
2009-05-07 xml document instance created by Patrick Lawlor
2010-05-13 finding aid edited by Lea Osborne
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
Biographical / Historical
Julius C. C. Edelstein was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on February 29, 1912. He studied at the University of Wisconsin from 1927-1934 (Law and Medicine), supporting himself through nespaper reporting. In 1937 he began working for the United Press covering U.S. territories and island possessions. His career in journalism continued until World War II when he secured an ensign's commission in the U.S. Navy. After training as a communications officer, he became assistant naval aide to Admiral William D. Leahy, later being promoted to naval aide. Between 1945 and 1947 he served as public affairs advisor to the U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippines, Paul V. McNutt, and as personal advisor to the President of the Philippines, Manuel Roxas. In 1949, Edelstein became Senator Herbert H. Lehman's executive assistant and chief of legislative staff.
Senator Herbert H. Lehman believed in the ability of government to help those that can not help themselves. He fought for civil rights, displaced persons, affordable housing and voted against the popular anti-immigrant legislation. He was responsible for various social reforms such as minimum wage, unemployment insurance, public housing, medical care for the disabled and labor laws to protect workers. Edelstein championed these causes and became personally involved as well, researching and corresponding with numerous democratic constituents' and political figures. He was also a trustee of the National Committee on Immigration and Citizenship (NCIC), secretary for the New York Committee for Democratic Voters and a member of the American Jewish Congress, American Jewish Committee and Americans for Democratic Action (ADA).
In 1955, Edelstein married Rivka Ben-David. In 1956, Julius and Rivka's daughter Suzy was born. Rivka was an assistant military attacheĢ to the Israeli Embassy in Washington. Edelstein continued to serve Lehman until 1960. In 1962, Edelstein became executive assistant to Mayor Robert F. Wagner.
While under Mayor Wagner, he served as executive secretary of the city's antipoverty board. When Robert F. Kennedy ran for the Senate, Mayor Wagner lent Mr. Edelstein to advise him on Jewish and Israeli issues. In 1965, Edelstein embarked on a career at the City University of New York (CUNY). He served as senior vice chancellor of CUNY until 1984 when he retired. He was the primary force behind open admissions at CUNY in the late 1960s, fighting for the economically disadvantaged so as to ensure they had access to an undergraduate education. In 2005, at the age of 93, Julius Edelstein died at New York Hospital.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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