Martin C. Ansorge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Martin C. Ansorge
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 21st district
In office March 4, 1921 - March 3, 1923
Preceded by	Jerome F. Donovan
Succeeded by	Royal H. Weller
Personal details
Born	Martin Charles Ansorge January 1, 1882 Corning, New York
Died	February 4, 1967 (aged 85) New York City, New York
Political party	Republican
Education	Columbia University (BA, LLB)
Profession	Attorney
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Rank	Private
Unit	Motor Transport Corps
Battles/wars	World War I

Martin Charles Ansorge (born January 1, 1882 – died February 4, 1967) was a politician from New York. He served as a representative in the U.S. Congress.

Early Life and Education

Martin Ansorge was born in Corning, New York, on January 1, 1882. His parents were Mark Perry Ansorge and Jennie Bach Ansorge. His family was Jewish.

He went to public schools and the College of the City of New York. He then studied at Columbia College and Columbia Law School. He finished college in 1903 and law school in 1906. After that, he became a lawyer in Manhattan, New York City.

Starting in Politics

Ansorge tried to get elected to Congress several times. He ran as a Republican in 1912, 1914, and 1916, but he did not win.

In his 1916 campaign for the 21st District, his main idea was "Feed America First." He believed that America should keep its food for its own people. He thought the country should not send food abroad after World War I. He later decided not to run for Congress in 1918.

Serving in World War I

During World War I, Martin Ansorge joined the United States Army. He was a private in the Motor Transport Corps. This group helped move supplies and people.

He was stationed at Camp Meigs in Washington, D.C.. He planned to go to France to serve. However, the war ended before he left the country. He was honorably discharged from the Army.

Important Work in Congress

From 1918 to 1921, Ansorge was the first leader of the Triborough Bridge Committee. This group worked on building a big bridge in New York.

He was elected to the 67th United States Congress as a Republican. He served from March 4, 1921, to March 3, 1923. He tried to get reelected in 1922 but lost by a very small number of votes. He challenged the results, and after a recount, he still lost by only 10 votes.

As a Congressman, Ansorge worked on important laws. He helped with the first federal law against lynching. This law, called the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, aimed to make lynching a federal crime. Lynching was a terrible act of violence against people, especially African Americans.

The bill passed in the House of Representatives. However, it was blocked in the Senate and did not become law. Many people admired Ansorge's work on this issue.

Ansorge also helped write the original Port Authority Bill. This bill was important for developing the port connecting New York and New Jersey. He presented the bill to President Warren Harding to sign it into law.

Fighting for Fairness: U.S. Service Academies

In 1922, Ansorge nominated the first African-American student since 1874 to the U.S. Naval Academy. His name was Emile Treville Holley.

Sadly, Holley was not accepted into the academy. This was because of unfair attitudes at the time. Navy officers and students made it clear that Holley would be treated badly. The New York Times reported that he would face "social ostracism." This meant he would be ignored and excluded by others.

Emile Holley later went to Middlebury College and became a college professor.

Later Life and Career

After his time in Congress, Ansorge continued his law career. He also tried to become a judge in New York City in 1924, 1927, and 1928, but he was not successful.

He was a member of the board of directors for United Air Lines from 1934 to 1961. He also worked as a lawyer for famous people, including Henry Ford.

Final Years

Martin Ansorge passed away in his apartment in Manhattan, New York City, on February 4, 1967. He was 85 years old. He was buried in Temple Israel Cemetery in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

See also

• List of Jewish members of the United States Congress