H. Carl McCall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
H. Carl McCall
|
|
|---|---|
| 52nd Comptroller of New York | |
| In office May 7, 1993 – December 31, 2002 |
|
| Governor | Mario Cuomo George Pataki |
| Preceded by | Ned Regan |
| Succeeded by | Alan Hevesi |
| Member of the New York Senate from the 28th district |
|
| In office January 1, 1975 – December 31, 1980 |
|
| Preceded by | Sidney von Luther |
| Succeeded by | Leon Bogues |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Herman Carl McCall
October 17, 1935 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Cecilia McCall (divorced) Joyce Brown
(m. 1983) |
| Education | Dartmouth College (BA) Andover Newton Theological School (MDiv) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1959 |
Herman Carl McCall (born October 17, 1935) is an American politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. McCall served as the New York State Comptroller and a New York State Senator.
In 2002, he was the Democratic candidate for Governor of New York. McCall made history as the first African-American to be elected New York State Comptroller. He is also a minister and has served on many important boards. From 2011 to 2019, McCall was the chairman of the State University of New York Board of Trustees.
Contents
Early Life and Education
H. Carl McCall was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 17, 1935. He was the oldest of six children. His father worked for the railroad.
McCall graduated from Roxbury Memorial High School in Boston. He was the president of his class. He then went to Dartmouth College with scholarships. He earned a bachelor's degree in government in 1958. McCall also studied at the University of Edinburgh and received a Master of Divinity degree.
Early Career and Public Service
In the 1960s, McCall worked as a high school teacher and a bank manager. He taught at Jamaica Plain High School in Boston. Later, he joined the Army.
He also started a church in the Dorchester neighborhood. By the late 1960s, McCall moved to New York City. Mayor John Lindsay chose him to lead the Commission Against Poverty.
Political Journey
In the 1970s, McCall became a State Senator. He represented Harlem and the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He served in the Senate from 1975 to 1980.
After leaving the Senate, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to the U.S. delegation to the United Nations. He held the rank of Ambassador.
In 1982, McCall ran for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of New York but was not successful. Governor Mario Cuomo then appointed him as the state's Commissioner of Human Rights. This was from 1983 to 1984.
Later, McCall worked in the private sector for Citicorp. From 1991 to 1993, he was President of the New York City Board of Education.
New York State Comptroller Role
In 1993, the New York State Legislature chose McCall to finish the term of state comptroller Edward Regan. As comptroller, McCall was in charge of the state's money. He audited state and local groups. He also managed the state's investments and pension fund.
McCall was elected to a full term as comptroller in 1994. He won against Herbert London. He was re-elected in 1998, defeating Bruce Blakeman. In 1998, he decided not to run for the U.S. Senate. This helped Hillary Clinton in her successful campaign.
Running for Governor in 2002
In 2002, McCall announced he would run for Governor of New York. He challenged the Republican governor, George Pataki. His main opponent in the Democratic primary was former US Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo later withdrew from the race. This made McCall the only Democratic candidate for governor. However, he lost the general election to Governor Pataki. McCall was New York state's highest-ranking black elected official at that time. He was also the first black major party candidate for governor in New York.
McCall was the preferred candidate of the Democratic Party leaders. However, his campaign faced challenges. Money was a big issue in the general election. The Democratic National Committee did not provide much funding.
Some political experts believe McCall's loss was due to the popularity of the Republican Party. This was after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Governor Pataki's leadership during that time also played a role.
Later Career and Contributions
After his political career, McCall continued to be active. He was a member of the Board of the New York Stock Exchange from 1999 to 2003. He also served on the board of the Apollo Theater Foundation.
Currently, he is a member of the Fiscal Control Board for Buffalo, New York. He is also on the SUNY Board of Trustees. He serves on the Boards of Directors for several companies.
In 2006, he spoke at Dartmouth College for their Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. He talked about modern civil rights. He also runs his own financial services fund called Convent Capital, LLC.
In 2007, McCall was appointed to a special panel. This panel recommended candidates to replace the state comptroller, Alan Hevesi.
McCall joined the State University of New York Board of Trustees in 2007. Governor Eliot Spitzer appointed him. In 2011, Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed him chairman. He retired in June 2019.
Personal Life
H. Carl McCall is married to Joyce F. Brown. She is a former psychology professor. She also served as a Deputy Mayor of New York City. Currently, she is the president of SUNY's Fashion Institute of Technology. McCall has a daughter named Marcella from his first marriage.
McCall is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
Awards and Recognition
McCall has received nine honorary degrees. In 2003, he was given the Nelson Rockefeller Distinguished Public Service Award. This award came from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.
On February 14, 2020, the SUNY Plaza administrative building was renamed. It is now called the H. Carl McCall SUNY Building. This was done to honor his many contributions to SUNY and New York State.
