Herman Badillo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Herman Badillo
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
In office January 3, 1971 – December 31, 1977
Preceded by	Jacob H. Gilbert
Succeeded by	Robert Garcia
Constituency	22nd district (1971–1973) 21st district (1973–1977)
8th Borough President of The Bronx
In office December 28, 1965 – December 31, 1969
Preceded by	Joseph F. Periconi
Succeeded by	Robert Abrams
Personal details
Born	(1929-08-21)August 21, 1929 Caguas, Puerto Rico
Died	December 3, 2014(2014-12-03) (aged 85) Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic Republican
Alma mater	Brooklyn Law School City College of New York
Occupation	Lawyer

Herman Badillo (pronounced bah-DEE-yoh; August 21, 1929 – December 3, 2014) was an American politician. He made history as the first Puerto Rican to be elected to several important roles. These included serving as the borough president of The Bronx and as a U.S. Representative. He also ran for Mayor of New York City.

Early Life and Education

Herman Badillo was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico. When he was 11 years old, both of his parents passed away. He then moved to New York City to live with his aunt.

He attended Haaren High School in New York City. After high school, he went to the City College of New York, earning a degree in 1951. In 1954, he graduated at the top of his class from Brooklyn Law School. He became a lawyer in New York State the next year. In 1956, he also became a certified public accountant.

Starting a Political Career

Badillo joined the Democratic Party in 1958. He soon began to hold different positions in New York City and State government. Before becoming the Bronx Borough President, he worked as the New York Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development.

Bronx Borough President

In January 1966, Badillo became the Borough President of The Bronx. A borough president is like a mayor for one of New York City's five main areas, or "boroughs." They help manage local government and community needs.

During his time, there was a discussion about saving the old Bronx Borough Hall building. It had been given special landmark status. However, a board voted to remove this status, following Badillo's opinion. In 1968, a fire damaged part of the building. It was later torn down in 1969.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

In 1970, Herman Badillo was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented New York's 21st District in the South Bronx. This made him the first Puerto Rican to serve in the U.S. Congress. He was re-elected three more times.

As a Congressman, he worked on important issues. He was part of the Committee on Education and Labor. He helped make sure that job training was available for people who didn't speak English. He also supported laws to prevent discrimination in jobs. Badillo was a key person in renewing the Voting Rights Act. This act helps protect the right to vote for all citizens.

He also served on committees related to banking and small businesses. He became an important voice for getting federal money to help improve cities.

Running for Mayor of New York City

Herman Badillo tried to become the mayor of New York City several times. He ran for the Democratic Party's nomination in 1969, 1973, 1977, 1981, and 1985.

His closest attempt was in 1973. He came in second in the primary election. He lost to Abe Beame in a second round of voting, called a runoff primary. This was the first time New York City had a primary runoff election.

Later, in 2001, he tried to get the Republican Party's nomination for mayor. However, he lost to Michael Bloomberg.

Deputy Mayor of New York City

In December 1977, Badillo left Congress to become a deputy mayor of New York City. A deputy mayor helps the mayor manage the city and its different departments. He worked under Mayor Ed Koch.

As deputy mayor, Badillo handled labor relations and worked with different communities. He resigned in 1979 due to a disagreement with Mayor Koch. This disagreement was about the lack of support for his plans to improve the South Bronx.

Later Career and Public Service

After leaving City Hall, Badillo worked as a lawyer. He also stayed active in politics. He supported different candidates for governor and president.

In 1993, he ran for New York City Comptroller. The Comptroller is like the city's chief financial officer, overseeing its money. He ran on both the Republican and Liberal party tickets. However, he was defeated by Alan Hevesi.

Work with the Giuliani Administration

Badillo held several roles in Mayor Rudy Giuliani's administration. He was a special advisor on education policy. He also became the chairman of the board of trustees for the City University of New York (CUNY). CUNY is a large public university system in New York City.

As CUNY Chairman, he worked to change some of the university's rules. He supported ending open enrollment and changing how students were admitted. These changes aimed to improve academic standards.

Switching Political Parties

In the late 1990s, Herman Badillo officially joined the Republican Party. He resigned from his roles in the Giuliani administration to run for mayor again in 2001. Even though he had supported Mayor Giuliani, his mayoral campaign didn't get much support from Giuliani or the Republican Party. He lost the primary election to Michael Bloomberg.

Final Years

In his later years, Badillo worked for different law firms. He also joined the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, a think tank. Herman Badillo passed away on December 3, 2014, at the age of 85. His death was caused by heart failure.

Legacy

Herman Badillo is remembered as a pioneering politician. He opened doors for many other Puerto Rican and Hispanic Americans in politics. A school in Buffalo, New York is named after him, the Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy.

Images for kids

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  Herman Badillo

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
• Nuyorican
• Puerto Ricans in New York City

External links