<emph render="italic">Joint Legislative Committee to Study Revision of Corporation Laws, Seventh Interim Report to 1963 Session of New York State Legislature</emph>

]> APAP-229 FREDERIC S. BERMAN PAPERS (APAP-229), 1962-1975 Laura Welch M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University at Albany

1400 Washington Avenue / Albany, New York 12222

© 2012 By the University at Albany, SUNY. All rights reserved. Laura Welch English Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) Descriptive Summary Frederic S. Berman Papers 1962-1975 2.0 cubic ft. M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University at Albany, SUNY The Frederic S. Berman Papers predominantly document his service in the New York State Senate through correspondence, newsclippings, bills, research material and campaign literature. In addition, there are files pertaining to his post-Senatorial career as the Commissioner of the New York City Rent and Housing Department and as a New York City Criminal Court Judge. The materials in the collection are in English. The materials are located onsite in the department. Access

Access to this record group is unrestricted.

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Acquisition Information

Frederic Berman initially donated his papers to Syracuse University in a series of accessions beginning in 1966. In 2006, the papers were transferred to the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives.

Biographical Sketch

Frederic S. Berman was born on March 7, 1927 in New York. He graduated from Columbia College in 1949 and received his law degree from New York Law School in 1951. Berman practiced as an attorney at the firm Berman & Berman from 1952-1964 and again from 1969-1972, specializing in business law. He also was an adjunct member of the faculty at New York Law School from 1958-2003, teaching such courses as criminal law, personal property, municipal law and post-conviction remedies and procedures.

Berman entered public service in the 1960s. Voters from the 20th District elected him to the New York State Senate in 1964. A Democrat, he served from 1964-1966 and focused on issues of air pollution, tenants' rights, and legislative ethics. He was a member of the Corporations, Education, Finance, Motor Vehicles and Transportation and Taxation Committees. As the Commissioner of the New York City Rent and Housing Department from 1966-1969 he spearheaded efforts to slow rising rent through rent control and reform measures. He also served as a New York City Criminal Court Judge from 1973-1976 and sat on the New York State Supreme Court from 1976-1997.

Since 2006, he has served as Adjunct Professor Emeritus at New York Law School and is known as an authority on law and social change.

Scope and Content Information

The collection predominantly contains materials acquired by Frederic Berman during his time as a New York State Senator. Series 1, Senatorial Papers, contains campaign information as well as results from public opinion surveys. Campaign literature from Bruno Cappellini, Eleanor Clark French, John G. Heimann, Eric M. Javits, Robert Kennedy, and John V. Lindsay, and other contemporary New York politicians is found throughout the files. The Berman Papers also feature a substantial variety of newsclippings from local New York City news sources pertaining to Berman's political platforms, such as air pollution, political ethics, and rent and housing issues. Bills introduced by New York State Senator MacNeil Mitchell and background materials about Mitchell, whom Berman defeated in the 1964 State Senate election, are abundant in Berman's research files.

Series 2, Post-Senatorial Papers, contains materials from Berman's time as the Commissioner of the New York City Rent and Housing Department and includes pamphlets, bound reports, photographs, correspondence, and drafts and final publications of articles written by Berman. There are a few items from Berman's career as a New York City Criminal Court Judge, but no materials pertaining to Berman's service on the New York State Supreme Court.

Archivists transfered <emph render="italic">Joint Legislative Committee to Study Revision of Corporation Laws, Seventh Interim Report to 1963 Session of New York State Legislature</emph> to the book division of Special Collections. The catalogue record for the monograph will be included in Minerva, the University Library Catalog.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is organized into the following series:

Series 1 - Senatorial Papers, 1962-1965, Undated Series 2 - Post-Senatorial Papers, 1963-1975, Undated

Both Series 1 and 2 are arranged alphabetically.

Subject and Genre Headings Berman, Frederic S. Mitchell, MacNeil New York (State). Legislature. Senate New York (State). Criminal Court (Kings County, N.Y.) New York (City). Housing and Development Administration. Air--Pollution Politicians--New York (State) Rent control--New York (State) Political campaigns--New York (State)--New York. Criminal courts--New York (State)--New York. Political ethics--United States. New York (State)--Politics and government. New York (N.Y.) Bills (legislative records) Clippings Correspondence Files by subject Legislative records Photographs Drafts (versions of documents) Official reports Fliers (printed matters) Press releases Political posters Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Frederic S. Berman Papers, 1962-1975. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Berman Papers).

Container List Series 1: Senatorial Papers 1.75 cu. ft. 1962-1965, Undated

Arranged alphabetically.

Series 1, Senatorial Papers, consists of subject files collected by Frederic Berman during his campaign for and term as a New York State Senator. The folders in this series are arranged alphabetically, according to the subjects assigned by Berman.

1 1 1st, 8th and 9th Assembly Districts 1963 1 2 1964 Session-General 1964 1 3 1965 State Legislature 1965 1 4 Advertising-Media 1963-1964 Undated 1 5 Air Pollution 1963-1964 1 6 Air Pollution-Correspondence 1965 1 7 Air Pollution-Reports 1964-1965 Undated 1 8 Air Pollution-Research 1965 1 9 Article Notes and Press Releases 1964 1 10 Berman Campaign Literature Undated 1 11 Berman, F.S. 1964 Undated 1 12 Cabinet Undated 1 13 Cabinet Memos 1964 1 14 Campaign Fliers Undated 1 Campaign Posters 1964 Undated 1 15 Cappellini Campaign Undated 1 16 Captain's Party 1964 1 17 Cards Undated 1 18 Cards-Control Undated 1 19 Citizen's Union 1964 1 20 Citizen's Union 1965 1 21 Clubs Undated 1 22 Columbia College Citizenship Council 1965 1 23 Correspondence 1964 1 24 Correspondence-Citizen's Union 1964 1 25 Correspondence-Democratic National Committee 1964 1 26 Correspondence-General 1964 Undated 1 27 Crime 1964 1 28 Democratic Campaign Literature 1964 Undated 1 29 Democratic Clubs 1965 1 30 Democratic Program 1965 Undated 1 31 Entertainment Committee Undated 1 32 Envelopes-Control Undated 1 33 Ethics Issue-General 1964 1 34 Ethics-Senator Mitchell 1964 1 35 Finance 1964 Undated 1 36 Finance Committee Memos 1964 1 37 Fire Island Punch Party 1964 1 38 Frederic S. Berman-Bills 1965 1 39 French Campaign 1964 1 40 Goldwater 1964 1 41 Graphics Undated 1 42 Green Petition Signatures Undated 1 43 Harriman Art Tour 1964 1 44 Headquarters 1964 Undated 1 45 Heimann Campaign 1964 Undated 1 46 Highways 1964 1 47 Housing 1964 1 48 Javits-Clippings 1964 1 49 Javits-Literature Undated 1 50 Javits-Petitions Undated 1 51 Letters 1 Undated 1 52 Letters 2 Undated 1 53 Letters-Drafts Undated 1 54 Letters to the Editor 1964 1 55 Letters-Misc 1964 1 56 Lexington Democratic Clubs 1964 1 57 Liberal Party 1965 1 58 Literature-Costs Undated 1 59 Literature-Ideas Undated 1 60 Literature-Other, Demo 1962 Undated 1 61 Literature-Republican 1964 Undated 1 62 Liquor Issue 1964 2 1 Local Newspapers 1964-1965 2 2 MacNeil Mitchell 1962 2 3 MacNeil Mitchell Research Committee 1964 2 4 Memos 1965 2 5-7 Mitchell Senate Bills 1962 2 8-9 Mitchell Senate Bills 1964 2 10 Newsclippings 1964 2 11 New York Law Journal 1963 2 12 Official Opening 1964 2 13 Opinion-Public 1964 Undated 2 14 Parties 1964 2 15 Parties Ideas Undated 2 16 Photos 1964-1965 Undated 2 17 Polling Places Undated 2 18 Post Office Undated 2 19 Press Materials 1964 Undated 2 20 Press Releases 1964 Undated 2 21 Press Releases and Letters to the Editor 1965 2 22 Publicity 1964 Undated 2 23 Radio 1964 2 24 Radio and Television 1965 2 25 Receiving Tickets Undated 2 26 Redistricting 1964 2 27 Research Commission 1964 Undated 2 28 Robert Kennedy Campaign 1964 2 29 Roll Calls-Senate 1965 Undated 2 30 Sample letters 1964 2 31 Schools 1964 2 32 Senate Campaign 1964 Undated 2 33 Speech dates 1964 Undated 2 34 Spirit Masters Undated 2 35 Student's Committee Undated 2 36 Supplies Undated 2 37 Talks 1964 2 38 Telegrams 1964 2 39 Telemarketing 1964 2 40 Theaters Undated 2 41 Unknown Petition Signatures Undated 2 42 Volunteers Undated Series 2: Post-Senatorial Papers .25 cu. ft. 1963-1975, Undated

Arranged alphabetically.

Series 2, Post-Senatorial Papers, consists of subject files that pertain to Berman's career as the Commissioner of the New York City Rent and Housing Department. The folders in this series are also arranged alphabetically according to subjects assigned to the folders by Berman. This series also features photographs and bound reports.

2 43 NYC Criminal Court Decisions and Newsclippings 1973-1975 Undated 2 44 NYC Criminal Court Photos 1973 1975 2 45 Rent and Housing Commissioner Correspondence 1967-1969 2 46 Rent and Housing Commissioner Photos 1966-1968 2 47 Rent Control 1967-1968 2 48 Rent Control Publications 1963 1970 Undated 2 49 Rent Control Reports 1967-1968 2 50 Report to the Mayor on an Investigation into Rental Increases in the Non-Controlled Housing Market 1969 2 51 Report: People, Housing and Rent Control in New York City 1964 2 52 Report: The Private Rental Housing Market in New York City 1965 1966 2 53 Report: Rent Control in New York City 1967