Paul O'Dwyer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul O'Dwyer
O'Dwyer In 1968
President of the New York City Council
In office 1974–1977
Preceded by	Sanford Garelik
Succeeded by	Carol Bellamy
Personal details
Born	Peter Paul O'Dwyer (1907-06-29)June 29, 1907 Bohola, County Mayo, Ireland
Died	June 23, 1998(1998-06-23) (aged 90)

Peter Paul O'Dwyer (born June 29, 1907 – died June 23, 1998) was an important American politician and a lawyer who fought for civil rights. He was born in Ireland and later moved to the United States. From 1974 to 1977, he was the President of the New York City Council. His older brother, William O'Dwyer, was once the Mayor of New York City. Paul O'Dwyer was also the father of Brian O'Dwyer, who became a leader in the New York State Gaming Commission.

Paul O'Dwyer: Early Life and Education

Paul O'Dwyer was born in Bohola, a place in County Mayo, Ireland. In 1925, when he was 18, he moved to Brooklyn, New York. He went to Fordham University and then studied law at St. John's Law School. In 1931, he became a citizen of the United States.

Starting a Law Career

As a young man, O'Dwyer was very active in groups for Irish-Americans. He started his own law practice in Brooklyn. At the same time, his brother William was a judge in the same area.

Later, in the late 1930s, Paul O'Dwyer led the Downtown Brooklyn Community Council. When his brother William became the main prosecutor for Kings County in 1940, Paul moved his law office to Manhattan. He explained that he didn't want to defend people in court if his brother was prosecuting them.

Paul O'Dwyer: A Champion for Rights

Paul O'Dwyer became well-known for taking on important legal cases. He often defended people who were accused of certain political activities. He was a leader in the National Lawyers Guild, serving as its president in 1947.

Supporting Irish Causes

O'Dwyer strongly supported both constitutional rights and Irish republicanism. He helped protect several Irish individuals from being sent back to Ireland. These included a group known as "The Fort Worth Five" and Vincent Conlon.

Fighting for Justice

O'Dwyer believed in fairness and equality for everyone. He spoke out against libraries removing books by certain authors. He also defended leaders of labor unions and people accused of being anarchists.

He supported the American Labor Party, which was a left-leaning political group. O'Dwyer fought against racial segregation in housing and in the financial district of New York City. He also worked to help create the country of Israel.

He helped Black voters organize in the Southern United States. He also represented coal miners in Kentucky who were on strike. O'Dwyer even argued before the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the voting rights of Puerto Rican citizens living in the mainland U.S.

He sued New York City to keep public transportation fares low. In April 1969, he led a huge anti-war march. Tens of thousands of people marched from Times Square to Central Park to protest the Vietnam War.

A Famous Office Guest

Paul O'Dwyer's law office in Manhattan had a unique connection to a famous writer. The ashes of the witty writer Dorothy Parker were kept in a filing cabinet there for many years.

Paul O'Dwyer: Political Career

O'Dwyer was very involved in New York City politics and ran for office several times.

Early Political Races

In 1948, he ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives for Manhattan's Upper West Side. He lost by a small margin to the Republican candidate, Jacob K. Javits.

In 1965, O'Dwyer ran for mayor of New York City. He finished fourth in the Democratic primary election, which was won by Abe Beame.

City Council and Senate Campaigns

O'Dwyer won two important city elections. From 1963 to 1965, he served on the New York City Council, representing all of Manhattan.

In 1973, O'Dwyer was elected President of the New York City Council. This was one of the three citywide elected positions at the time. He held this important role from 1974 to 1977.

In 1968, O'Dwyer ran for U.S. Senator from New York. He was against the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. With support from presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy, O'Dwyer surprisingly won the Democratic primary. However, he lost the general election to the well-known Republican, Jacob Javits, again.

He also ran for U.S. Senator in 1970 and 1976 but was not successful in those races.

Manhattan Borough Historian

In 1986, the Manhattan Borough President, Andrew Stein, appointed Paul O'Dwyer as the Manhattan Borough Historian. This role recognized his deep knowledge of the city's history.

Paul O'Dwyer: Family Life

Paul O'Dwyer was the youngest of eleven children. His oldest brother, William O'Dwyer, was 17 years older and became the Mayor of New York City. Paul was also the uncle of lawyer and activist Frank Durkan.

Paul O'Dwyer was married to Kathleen (Rohan) O'Dwyer for 45 years. Their son, Brian O'Dwyer, is a lawyer in New York City. After Kathleen passed away, Paul married attorney Patricia (Hanrahan) O'Dwyer.

Paul O'Dwyer passed away in 1998, just six days before his 91st birthday.