John Brademas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Brademas
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| 13th President of New York University | |
| In office 1981–1991 |
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| Preceded by | Ivan Loveridge Bennett (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | L. Jay Oliva |
| House Majority Whip | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1981 |
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| Leader | Tip O'Neill |
| Preceded by | John J. McFall |
| Succeeded by | Tom Foley |
| House Democratic Chief Deputy Whip | |
| In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1977 |
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| Leader | Carl Albert |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Dan Rostenkowski |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 3rd district |
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| In office January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1981 |
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| Preceded by | F. Jay Nimtz |
| Succeeded by | John P. Hiler |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Stephen John Brademas Jr.
March 2, 1927 Mishawaka, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | July 11, 2016 (aged 89) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C. allegiance  United States |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Parent |
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| Education | Harvard University (BA) Brasenose College, Oxford (MA, PhD) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
Stephen John Brademas Jr. (March 2, 1927 – July 11, 2016) was an American politician and educator. He was born in Indiana. He served as the Majority Whip of the United States House of Representatives for the Democratic Party from 1977 to 1981. This was after a twenty-year career as a member of the United States House of Representatives.
Besides his important work in making laws, especially for schools, arts, and humanities, he was also the 13th president of New York University. He held this role from 1981 to 1992. He also served on the board, and later became chairman, of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He was also a board member for the New York Stock Exchange and the Rockefeller Foundation.
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Early Life and Education
John Brademas was born in 1927 in Mishawaka, Indiana. He was the oldest of four children. His father was an immigrant from Greece, and his mother was an elementary school teacher. His father owned a restaurant.
John spent his summers with his grandfather, who was a school superintendent in Canada. His grandfather had a very large library, which likely sparked John's love for learning.
He graduated at the top of his class from Central High School in South Bend, Indiana. After high school, he served two years in the U.S. Navy.
John then went to Harvard University. He graduated with high honors and was part of Phi Beta Kappa, a well-known academic honor society. He also won a Rhodes Scholarship, which allowed him to study at Brasenose College, Oxford in England. There, he earned his Ph.D. in Social Studies.
Serving in Congress: Making a Difference
John Brademas served as a U.S. Representative for Indiana's 3rd congressional district for 22 years, from 1959 to 1981. For his last four years, he was the House Majority Whip. This is an important leadership role in Congress.
While in Congress, he was a key member of the United States House Committee on Education and Labor. He helped write many federal laws about schools, colleges, and universities. He also worked on laws for services for the elderly and people with disabilities. Libraries, museums, arts, and humanities also benefited from his work.
John Brademas was the first Greek-American member of Congress. He helped create the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in 1965. For ten years, he led the congressional group that oversaw these important organizations.
He also helped write the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This law provided federal funding for primary and secondary education. He also worked on the Higher Education Acts of 1972 and 1976, which focused on helping students pay for college. He also helped create the National Institute of Education.
In 1963, the Studebaker Corporation closed its car factories in South Bend, Indiana. This caused over 5,000 people to lose their jobs. John Brademas worked hard to help the South Bend area recover. He used his connections in Washington to bring new jobs.
In 1964, the Kaiser Jeep Corporation bought a Studebaker truck plant. They received a large government contract. This helped many people get back to work building military and postal vehicles. Today, AM General, a company that came from Kaiser Jeep, still makes military vehicles like the Humvee in Mishawaka, Indiana. This success was greatly helped by John Brademas's efforts in the 1960s.
John Brademas lost his bid for re-election in 1980 to John Hiler. This was largely due to the national political mood and the presidential election between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.
Leading in Education: New York University
After leaving Congress, John Brademas moved to New York City. He became the president of New York University (NYU) from 1981 to 1992.
In 1990, he helped lead a group that looked at how the NEA gave out money. President Bill Clinton later appointed him as chairman of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. He also chaired the National Endowment for Democracy.
A famous film actress named Paulette Goddard left a large amount of money to New York University. This was mainly because of her friendship with John Brademas.
Involvement with Foundations and Boards
John Brademas was a member of many different boards and national groups. These groups focused on topics like the arts, higher education, foreign policy, jobs, and science.
He was the chairman of the American Ditchley Foundation. He also co-chaired the Center for Science, Technology and Congress. This center is part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C.
He served as chairman of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He was also on the boards of Harvard University, the New York Stock Exchange, and the Rockefeller Foundation. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
John Brademas received honorary degrees from 47 different colleges and universities. He also received an award for his excellent service to the arts. A room at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he studied, is named the Brademas Room in his honor.
Later Life and Legacy
On October 3, 2011, the King of Spain gave John Brademas a special award called the Order of Isabella the Catholic. This award recognizes people who have done great things for Spain.
John Brademas passed away on July 11, 2016, at the age of 89. He is buried at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. He was survived by his wife, Mary, who is a doctor.
To honor his work, the main post office in South Bend, Indiana, was officially named the "John Brademas Post Office."
