La Guardia and Wagner Archives facts for kids

The La Guardia and Wagner Archives started in 1982. It is located at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens, New York. This special place collects and keeps important historical items. These items help us learn about the social and political history of New York City. The archives especially focuses on the mayors and the borough of Queens.

The main goal of the archives is to be a place where people can do serious research. Many different people use the archives, like students, journalists, and historians. Its website has over 55,000 digital photos. It also has almost 2 million digital documents for everyone to see.

Amazing Collections

This growing collection holds many interesting things. It has papers from several New York City mayors. It also has records from the New York City Council and the New York City Housing Authority. You can even find items from the famous piano maker Steinway & Sons. There is also a special collection about the history of Queens. Many of these documents and photos are available online.

Meet the Mayors!

The archives has collections from many important mayors of New York City. These collections help us understand the challenges and changes New York faced over the years.

Abraham D. Beame

Abraham Beame was the Mayor of New York from 1974 to 1977. His collection includes 1,800 photos and over 100 special objects. It also has papers about big events during his time, like the city's money problems in the 1970s. There are also stories from more than 30 people who worked with him.

David N. Dinkins

David N. Dinkins made history as the first African-American mayor of New York City. He served from 1990 to 1993. He became mayor during a time when the city faced many challenges. His collection covers the years from 1948 to 2000. It includes many documents and papers. Some of these are available on microfilm at the archives. The original documents are kept at the New York City Municipal Archives.

Edward I. Koch

Edward I. Koch was a very active mayor. He served three terms from 1978 to 1989. The archives has his personal papers from after his time as mayor. This collection includes 2,300 photos and videos. It also has many documents. These materials help researchers learn about important topics like city changes and economic growth. Some of Mayor Koch's speeches are available online. They talk about big issues from the 1980s. The archives also has many interviews with people who knew Mayor Koch.

Fiorello H. La Guardia

Fiorello H. La Guardia was mayor during a very difficult time. He served from 1934 to 1945, during the Great Depression and World War II. He made many big changes to the city. In 1982, his wife, Marie La Guardia, gave his personal papers to LaGuardia Community College.

This collection has his speeches and personal letters. It also has over 3,000 photos. You can find original drawings, scrapbooks, and records from his time helping people after World War II. Some of his letters are online, including letters from Mayor LaGuardia to his sister. She asked for his help to return to the United States after surviving a difficult time in Europe. He also received thank you letters from children in Italy after helping them. You can also listen to his Sunday radio broadcasts from 1942 to 1945.

John V. Lindsay

John V. Lindsay was mayor from 1966 to 1973. This was a busy time in New York City history. The city faced many protests and challenges. Lindsay was known as a unique politician. He brought a lot of excitement to Gracie Mansion, the mayor's official residence. His collection covers the years 1962 to 1973. It includes many documents, photos, and videos. These records include letters, reports, and speeches. The original documents are kept at the New York City Municipal Archives.

Robert F. Wagner

Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. came from a family dedicated to public service. His father, U.S. Senator Robert F. Wagner, was very important in the New Deal era. He helped create laws about workers' rights, civil rights, and social support. Mayor Robert F. Wagner served New York City for three terms, from 1954 to 1965.

During his time, he oversaw the building of new homes, parks, roads, and schools. He also supported the growth of city worker unions. He helped create The City University of New York. He worked to fight poverty and unfair treatment in housing and jobs. All these efforts are shown in the Wagner Collection. It has letters, 3,000 speeches, over 7,000 photos, and personal items. It also has 100 interviews with people who knew him.

Rudolph W. Giuliani

Rudolph Giuliani was mayor from 1994 to 2001. He ran for mayor twice against David Dinkins, winning the second time in 1993. He won his second term easily in 1997. Giuliani is known for helping to reduce crime and improve business in the city. He worked in the United States Department of Justice before becoming mayor.

The Giuliani Collection covers the years 1947 to 2001. It has over 40,000 records. These include letters, schedules, and materials from his staff. Some of these documents are available in digital form. The original documents are kept at the New York City Municipal Archives.

Queens History

The archives has a collection about the social history of Queens. It covers the late 1800s to the late 1900s. This includes 2,000 photos. These photos show transportation, fun activities, work, and family life in New York's largest borough. The history of Astoria, Long Island City, and Woodside is especially well documented. The pictures show how Queens changed from a rural area to a city by 1950. The collection also has over 90 interviews about daily life in Queens.

Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY)

The papers of the Real Estate Board of New York were given to the archives in 2017. They show the history of private real estate in New York City from 1896 to 2018. A big part of this collection is about 200,000 "Property Cards." These cards tell the history of properties in Manhattan. The collection also has many other documents, photos, videos, and objects. These include a special trowel used for a groundbreaking ceremony in 1925.

Steinway & Sons

Henry Z. Steinway gave the papers of the Steinway & Sons piano company to the archives in 1985. The Steinway company is important in American history for business, culture, and immigration. The Steinways first made pianos in Germany. The family moved to America and started their piano company in Manhattan in 1853. Steinway pianos are famous worldwide for their quality.

In 1870, Steinway built a factory in Queens. They also built street railways and homes, helping Queens grow. The Steinway & Sons Collection has family, business, and worker records from 1853 to 2007. It also has almost 4,000 photos, including some by the famous photographer Margaret Bourke-White. There are also over 50 hours of audio and video tapes. In 1995, the archives got a restored 1858 Steinway piano.

The Council of the City of New York

This collection from the New York City Council shows the history of laws in America's biggest city. It covers from the 1930s into the 2000s. It has copies of laws and official publications. It also has records from public hearings and committee files. There are many photos, maps, objects, and videos. It also includes papers from many individual council members.

This collection gives a clear picture of daily life in the city. It focuses on issues important to everyday people. These include housing, community development, health, and the environment. It helps historians understand local government. Legislative documents from 1955 to 1997 can be searched on the website. Over 500,000 of these are available online. The website also has over 13,000 searchable photos.

The LGBTQ Collection

The LGBTQ collection mainly comes from the papers of Daniel Dromm and Senator Tom Duane. Daniel Dromm was a teacher in Queens. He helped start the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee. He also organized the Queens Pride Parade and Festival, which began in Jackson Heights in 1993. His papers show the history of LGBTQ activism in Queens from the 1990s to the early 2010s. Senator Thomas Duane's collection includes documents about LGBTQ issues that he collected during his time in public office.

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)

The archives is home to the records of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). NYCHA started in 1934 and was the first housing authority in the United States. It manages many housing projects where over 403,000 people live. The collection covers from the late 1920s to the early 1990s. It shows how New York's public housing projects were built. It also gives information about the lives of the people who lived there.

The collection has letters, reports, and news clippings. It also has over 50,000 images. These include photos of city neighborhoods before the projects were built. About 4,800 of these can be seen on the archives' website. There is also a special presentation with comments from historian Joel Schwartz. Interviews with NYCHA staff members are also kept here.

Vincent R. Impellitteri

Vincent R. Impellitteri became mayor in August 1950. He was the City Council President when Mayor William O'Dwyer resigned. He faced many political challenges. He won a special election to keep his office. However, he lost the next election to Robert F. Wagner in 1953. The Impellitteri Collection covers the years 1945 to 1953. It includes many documents like letters, reports, and speeches. The original documents are kept at the New York City Municipal Archives. The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives has copies of these on microfilm.

William O'Dwyer

William O’Dwyer was a popular mayor. He ran for mayor in 1941 but lost to Fiorello La Guardia. He ran again in 1945 and became the city’s 100th mayor. The O’Dwyer Collection covers the years 1936 to 1952. It includes many documents from his time as mayor (1946-1950). These records include letters, reports, and speeches. The original documents are kept at the New York City Municipal Archives. The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives has copies of these on microfilm.

Education Projects

The archives has created special learning programs. One program has six lessons for 4th-grade students. It teaches them about the importance of voting and the history of voting rights. Another program is called "City of Immigrants." It helps teach about the different cultures in local schools.