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Arthur Eve

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This article is about the New York politician. For English-Canadian physicist, see Arthur Stewart Eve.
Arthur O. Eve
New York State Assemblyman
In office
1967–1983
Preceded byDonald Shoemaker
Succeeded byDennis Gorski
Constituency143rd District
In office
1983–2003
Preceded byJohn B. Sheffer
Succeeded byCrystal Peoples
Constituency141st District
Personal details
Born (1933-03-23) March 23, 1933 (age 91)
New York, NY
Political partyDemocrat
SpouseConstance Eve [1] (1956-)
ChildrenArthur Jr. ("Champ"), Leecia, Eric, Malcolm X, and Martin King
ResidenceBuffalo, NY

Arthur O. Eve (born March 23, 1933) is a retired American politician who served as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly (1967–2003) and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly (1979–2003). representing districts in Template:USCity. Eve was the first African American to win the Buffalo Mayoral Democratic Primary. He was elected a New York State Assemblyman in 1966, and by the time of his retirement announcement in 2002 he had served in the New York State Assembly (143rd District 1967–83, 141st District 1983–2003) longer than any other incumbent member.[1] As Deputy Speaker, Eve was the highest ranking African American in the New York State Legislature. During his political career, he became a political foe of Western New York politician James D. Griffin and tax-cutting New York State Governors Mario Cuomo and George Pataki.

Eve was a founding member of the New York State Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus.[2] During the 1971 Attica Prison riot Eve was an observer and negotiator, and entered the facility to hear the demands of the inmates. An advocate for economic development, education, job training and development, social services, crime prevention and parole reform, day care and housing, Eve was also a leader in the movement to legislate Harriet Tubman Day as a New York State holiday.[3] He is the father of attorney and former candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York Leecia Eve.

Personal

Eve arrived in Buffalo in February 1953 following his graduation from West Virginia State College. After being drafted and serving in the US Army he returned to Buffalo in 1955. He and the former Constance Bowles (July 14, 1932), also an alumnus of West Virginia State College, were married in June 1956. They have one daughter and four sons: Leecia Roberta Eve, Arthur O. Eve, Jr.; Eric Vincent Eve, Martin King Eve, and Malcolm X. Eve.[4] Leecia is a Democratic politician and attorney in New York, and was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York as well as a contender to replace Hillary Clinton as United States Senator when Clinton became United States Secretary of State.[5][6] Eric, who was a White House aide under Bill Clinton,[7] ran Al Gore's New York State 2000 Democratic presidential primary campaign.[8] Malcolm also worked for the Clinton administration.[7]

Political career

Assemblyman 1967–1979

In 1968, Eve delayed construction on the State University of New York at Buffalo's Amherst Campus to push through an agreement that New York State and the unions would promote minority access into the construction industry.[3] The resulting protests caused then New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller to call for an eleven-month construction moratorium starting in March 1969.[9]

During Eve's first term as an assemblyman, he led the effort to obtain an initial $500,000 ($4.6 million as of 2024) of funding to establish the State University of New York System's SEEK/Educational Opportunity Program.[3] Since the 1970s, colleges in New York State have administered the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program to assist students who may otherwise be unable to attend college because of educational or financial circumstances.[10][11][12]

Eve served as an observer and negotiator in the wake of the 1971 Attica Prison riot.[1][2] Believing that people with credibility within and without the prison were needed, he joined Tom Wicker and John Dunne in entering the prison to hear the inmates' demands.[13] The prisoners requested direct communication with the Commissioner of Corrections, Russell G. Oswald,[14] and that specific individuals hear their demands, naming Louis Farrakhan, Huey Newton, and William Kunstler; Kunstler eventually agreed to serve as their legal counsel.[14] Farrakhan refused to attend, however, which Eve felt was a turning point in the negotiations.[14] Eve has expressed the belief that Governor Rockefeller was responsible for the massacre that subsequently occurred in the prison,[15] and that Rockefeller made a deliberate decision to escalate the conflict knowing that there would likely be some loss of life.[16] In the 1992 Attica civil-liability trial, Eve testified on behalf of the inmates.[17] In March 2001, then New York Governor George Pataki appointed Eve to the Attica Task Force that met with families of Attica prison employees who survived the 1971 uprising and negotiated reparations.[18]

In 1977, Eve became the first African-American to win the Democratic Party's Buffalo Mayoral Primary election.[19] He won the primary by a 37–34 margin over Jimmy Griffin. Third-place primary finisher Leslie Foschio threatened to enter the general election and Griffin became the Conservative Party nominee. Eve was supported by Erie County Democratic Chairman, Joseph Crangle, who hoped to prevent a third Democrat from running in the general election, but Eve campaigned without Crangle's backing or that of the Democratic Party.[20] That primary had a record voter turnout of 77–80% in the Black community, the highest ever for an African American community in the Northeast, and surpassed nationwide in terms of African American voter turnout only by the 1967 Mayor of Cleveland election of Carl Stokes. Eve became the first Democrat candidate to lose the Buffalo mayoral election in 40 years when he lost the general election to Griffin of the Conservative Party.

Eve served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention from New York in 1972, 1976, 1984, 1996, and 2000.[7][21]

Deputy Speaker 1979–2003

Eve was appointed Deputy Speaker of the New York State Assembly during the 1979 legislative session,[3] an important year for the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus which he had been chairperson of in 1975 and 1976.[3] The Democratic majority had fallen from 90–60 to 86–64 while the caucus' Assembly membership had grown from 15 to 16, which meant that for the first time the caucus had more than enough votes to withhold legislation, resulting in a shift in the balance of power.[22] Because of the lack of minority representation in either chamber of the New York State Legislature, as Deputy Speaker, Eve was the highest-ranking black legislator while in office.[23]

Eve and fellow Democrat Griffin remained political rivals throughout their careers. In 1982 Griffin and New York City Mayor Ed Koch, each of whom had first been elected as the mayor of one of New York State's two largest cities in 1977, were considering running for Governor and New York State Lieutenant Governor.[24] Eve adamantly opposed the ticket, speaking in support of Mario Cuomo,[25][26] and Griffin decided not to pursue statewide office.[24] In 1984, Eve joined with James F. Notaro, the Liberal Party of New York chairman to create the "Coalition for a Better Buffalo", with the sole intention of identifying a candidate for the Democratic and Liberal party lines who could unseat Griffin.[24] Following Cuomo's election victory, Eve became critical of Cuomo's supply side approach to budget balancing,[23][27] and was acknowledged by Cuomo as a vocal voice of opposition which represented interests such as public housing.[28] Even after Cuomo was succeeded by Pataki, Eve continued to voice opposition to any attempts to balance the state's budget by cutting taxes.[29]

In 1986, Eve was a contender to replace Stanley Fink as Speaker of the New York State Assembly, but the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus was not unified in its efforts to endorse a candidate.[30] Eve was outspoken in his opposition to the status quo; in 1988, he opposed all three incumbents for the New York State Board of Regents.[31] Eve's outspokenness occasionally attracted opposition to his own interests, as it did later that same year. During his 1988 election campaign, he encountered opposition from the minority ranks within the legislature, caused by his alleged involvement in the orchestration of a campaign against Queens, NY Democrat, Cynthia Jenkins. As a result, she campaigned on behalf of Eve's opponent Dorsey Glover;[32] Jenkins prevailed in her primary election.[33] During the 1988 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Eve endorsed Jesse Jackson over Gore and Michael Dukakis.[34] In 1993, he endorsed H. Carl McCall, the president of the New York City Board of Education, for New York State Comptroller in a race against Carol Bellamy, Fernando Ferrer, the Bronx Borough President, Assemblyman Robin Schimminger, and Joel Giambra.[35]

In 2000, Eve was challenged by Crystal Peoples, a member of Grassroots and the majority leader of the Erie County Legislature. The race was described by The New York Times as the toughest election contest of Eve's political career.[8] During the race, which was Eve's 18th and final New York State Assembly election campaign, Peoples depicted him as part of the antiquated old guard. Eve responded by summoning political connections including New York State Comptroller H. Carl McCall, United States Representative Charles B. Rangel, New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Representative Maxine Waters and his son Eric, who was a veteran New York State campaign manager.[8] People's Democratic primary election challenge was almost successful,[36][37] and it was credited with energizing minority voters to elect Byron Brown as a New York State Senator.[36]

In 2000, Eve proposed that Pataki declare March 10 Harriet Tubman day and began efforts to have the day declared a state holiday.[38] In 2001, he championed Harriet Tubman Day legislation that failed passage in the New York State Senate to commemorate March 10, 1913, Harriet Tubman's death date (birthdate unknown) as a New York state holiday.[39][40] Tubman had lived over 50 years in Template:USCity,[41][42] the location of the Harriet Tubman House. The holiday would have been the thirteenth state holiday,[43] and the movement to commemorate her spread to her birthplace state, Maryland, as well.[44] He continued his efforts in 2002,[45] but the legislation did not pass until 2003, after Eve's retirement.[46]

Political themes

Eve is widely recognised as a champion of the American family and for his service to the New York State Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus, as well as to the committee of public officials who attempted to resolve the conflict at the Attica State Prison.[47] He felt a nation should be judged by how it attends to its lowest citizens, and claimed to live by the creed "My major emphasis is on those at the very bottom", in his championing of the homeless, the chronically poor, and the working poor, among whom blacks numbered disproportionately.[48]

Eve campaigned for the increased availability of health care services.[49] He legislated against hate crimes and advocated against the expansion of legalized gambling to casinos that would effectively tax the economically disadvantaged, although the gambling legislation was nevertheless approved.[50][51] Eve noted that the vast majority of lottery tickets were bought by those in the lower income bracket,[52] and advocated for greater representation in the New York State jury pools by the economically disadvantaged.[53][54] He also urged restraint in banking deregulation.[55]

Retirement

A few months after retiring from political office Eve established a foundation whose first mission was to fight for the money allocated for the tutoring of students from underperforming schools, which was being redirected to other purposes.[56] By 2004, Eve's foundation was approved to provide afterschool tutoring.[57] He continued to serve on the Pataki task force that had been created in March 2001 to compensate family members of the 11 state workers killed in the 1971 Attica prison riots,[58][59] and he remained active in discussions regarding the allocation of the state sales tax.[60] He became an evangelist.[61] In February 2008, the Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys in Albany dedicated its new conference hall in his honor.[62]

In 2005, Eve's daughter Leecia announced her intention to run for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 2006.[63][64] When Eliot Spitzer announced he had selected David Paterson to be his runningmate for the 2006 New York State Elections, there was some controversy because Eve had been joined by David Dinkins, Rangel, Percy Sutton and Basil Paterson (who is David's father) in endorsing his daughter.[65][66][67]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Hicks, Jonathan P. (2002-03-25). "Longtime Assemblyman Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  2. ^ a b "Metro News Briefs: New York; Gore and Democrats Honor Deputy Speaker". The New York Times. 1998-04-21. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Arthur O. Eve". Buffalo State College. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  4. ^ "Biography: Constance B. Eve". Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research and Education on Women, Inc. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  5. ^ Lovett, Kenneth (2008-11-21). "Ex-Hillary Clinton aide Leecia Eve could take over as senator". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  6. ^ "Metro Briefing". The New York Times. 2005-10-04. Retrieved 2009-05-23. {{cite web}}: Text "New York: Manhattan: Endorsement For State's No. 2" ignored (help)
  7. ^ a b c McCarthy, Robert J. (1996-10-26). "Coveted Speech Opportunity Shows Party Backs Fricano". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  8. ^ a b c Hicks, Jonathan P. (2000-09-05). "Contest for Albany Seat Hinges on a Veteran Legislator's Relevance". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  9. ^ Farrell, William E. (1970-09-18). "2 Years of Racial Protest Stall Buffalo Campus Project; Two Years of Racial Protest Stall Buffalo Campus Project". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  10. ^ "Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)". Sienna College. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  11. ^ "The Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)". Ithaca College. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  12. ^ "Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program". Trocaire College. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  13. ^ Long, Irving (1989-08-11). "Politics Fight Over Dunne's Seat Was 12 Years Too Soon". Newsday. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  14. ^ a b c "The Attica Revolt: Hour by Hour; A Misunderstanding Sparked Uprising Where 41 Died The Attica Revolt: Hour-by-Hour Account Traces Its Start to a Misunderstanding Misunderstanding Sparked Attica Prison Uprising". The New York Times. 1971-10-04. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  15. ^ "Hostility from Left and Right". Time. 1974-12-09. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  16. ^ Glaberson, William (1989-05-17). "Lawsuit Raises New Questions About Attica". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  17. ^ Glaberson, William (1992-02-06). "Unanswered in Attica Case: High-Level Accountability". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  18. ^ Hu, Winnie (2003-02-13). "Attica Group Accuses State of Foot-Dragging on Reparations". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  19. ^ Montgomery, David (1992-11-15). "Essentially Eve Arthur O. Eve Has Turned His Life Into A Crusade. The Question Is Whether He Should Lighten UP". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  20. ^ Prial, Frank J. (1977-11-09). "Griffin Wins Easily In Buffalo Voting; State Senator Defeats Five Others as Eve Trails Far Behind Blow to Crangle Is Seen". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  21. ^ Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "Index to Politicians: Evanson to Everet". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  22. ^ Rule, Shiela (1979-01-21). "Minority-Group Caucus Has New Assembly Power; Beatty Vows to Press Issues Four Democratic Seats Lost". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  23. ^ a b Sack, Kevin (1991-02-25). "Officials From Minorities Angered by Cuomo's Budget". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  24. ^ a b c Rizzo, Michael F. and Genevieve M. Kenyon (2006). Through the Mayors' Eyes. Lulu.com. p. 349. ISBN 1411637577.
  25. ^ Lynn, Frank (1982-03-21). "Koch Is Beginning Campaign Upstate". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  26. ^ Lynn, Frank (1982-03-14). "New York Political Notes; Cuomo Gaining Backing of Anti-Koch Coalition". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  27. ^ Kolbert, Elizabeth (1988-11-24). "Cuomo Faces Big Challenge In Budget Gap". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  28. ^ "Excerpts Cuomo's State State Address To Legislature". The New York Times. 1987-01-08. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  29. ^ Sack, Kevin (1995-06-03). "Albany's Budget: The Overview;Pataki and State Legislators Say They Have Agreed on a Budget". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  30. ^ Purnick, Joyce (1986-10-06). "Column One: Politics". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  31. ^ Barron, James (1988-03-09). "Voicing Complaints, Legislators Pick 2 New Regents and Re-elect 3". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  32. ^ Kolbert, Elizabeth (1988-09-13). "32 Seats Open in New York Primary". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  33. ^ Kolbert, Elizabeth (1988-09-16). "Ohrenstein, Outspent 3-1, Defeats Primary Opponent". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  34. ^ "New York Primary: Who's For Whom". The New York Times. 1988-04-15. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  35. ^ Sack, Kevin (1993-04-29). "Bellamy's Comment on Cuomo Draws Rebuke". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  36. ^ a b Hicks, Jonathan P. (2000-10-18). "To Be State Senator, He Must Beat the Incumbent, Again". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  37. ^ Hicks, Jonathan P. (2003-03-20). "To Beat the System, They Infiltrated It; A Political Force Grows in Buffalo". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  38. ^ "Metro News Briefs: New York; Harriet Tubman Day Proposed as Holiday". The New York Times. 2000-02-15. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  39. ^ English, Merle (2001-02-04). "Queens Diary / Recognizing the Moses of Her People / Legislators are trying to implement a state holiday dedicated to Harriet Tubman". Newsday. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  40. ^ Archibold, Randal C. (2001-07-10). "Decaying Depots On the Tracks to Freedom; New Interest in the Underground Railroad Inspires an Effort to Preserve Its Landmarks". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  41. ^ "Honoring a heroine". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. 2001-02-07. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  42. ^ Rapp, Scott (2001-02-16). "Council Backs Tubman Holiday Auburn Endorses Bill In State Legislature To Observe March 10 In Abolitionist's Honor". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  43. ^ "Tubman Holiday Closer To Reality". Albany Times Union. 2001-02-07. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  44. ^ "Harriet Tubman Day Momentum Growing N.Y., Maryland Lead National Holiday Effort". Watertown Daily Times. 2001-02-26. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  45. ^ "In Freedom's Name – Harriet Tubman Stands As a Towering Figure In American History". The Post-Standard. 2002-02-01. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  46. ^ Kriss, Erik (2003-08-28). "State Sets Aside A Day For Tubman". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  47. ^ "Metro News Briefs: New York; Gore and Democrats Honor Deputy Speaker". The New York Times. 1998-04-21. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  48. ^ Johnson, Rudy (2008-09-28). "A Survival Guide For Ex-Inmates". The Times Union. Newsbank. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
  49. ^ Kolbert, Elizabeth (1988-07-01). "Wider Powers Backed For Nurse Practitioners". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  50. ^ Brozan, Nadine (1989-03-06). "Outrage Follows Talk by Official On Gay People". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  51. ^ McKinley, James C., Jr. (2001-10-25). "Bill That Expands Gambling Is Approved by Legislature". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  52. ^ "Everybody's Colulmn". The Buffalo News. 2006-06-06. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  53. ^ "Jury Duty Is Exactly That -- a Duty". The New York Times. 1993-09-23. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  54. ^ Dao, James (1994-06-30). "Senate Votes Bill Widening Pool of Jurors". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  55. ^ Dao, James (1993-06-21). "Legislature Is Deadlocked On Banking Deregulation". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  56. ^ Precious, Tom (2003-09-07). "With Passion, Less Clout, Eve Pushes For Tutoring". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  57. ^ Karlin, Rick (2004-08-12). "Charter Schools On Hunt For Students". Albany Times Union. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  58. ^ Tilghman, Andrew (2003-09-11). "Attica Compensation Task Force Stalled, Say Members". Albany Times Union. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  59. ^ Craig, Gary (2004-01-09). "Attica victims group wants more". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  60. ^ Fairbanks, Phil (2003-09-21). "Off Main Street". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  61. ^ "A Vote of Support For Speedy Primary Results". Albany Times Union. 2005-09-16. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  62. ^ "Local News Briefs". The Buffalo News. 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
  63. ^ Dicker, Fredric U. (2005-04-11). "Senator Eyes Gov Dream Team'". New York Post. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  64. ^ Rivers, Tom (2005-10-12). "Batavia popular stage for candidates – Multitude of contenders for statewide posts featured at Democratic Party event". The Daily News. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  65. ^ Gonzales, Juan (2006-01-24). "A Lifetime of Defying Expectations". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  66. ^ Humbert, Marc (2006-01-25). "Eve backed for Spitzer ticket – Some state politicians want former Clinton counsel as running mate". Albany Times Union. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  67. ^ Dicker, Frederic U. (2006-01-25). "Spitz On Fritz – Forced To Stall On Paterson Pick". New York Post. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
New York State Assembly
Preceded by New York State Assembly, 143rd District
1967–1982 		Succeeded by
Preceded by New York State Assembly, 141st District
1983–2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by New York State Assembly, Deputy Speaker
1979–2002 		Succeeded by
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