Seymour P. Lachman

Seymour P. Lachman
Member of the New York State Senate
In office
February 15, 1996 – 2004
Preceded byMartin M. Solomon
Succeeded byDiane Savino
President of the New York City Board of Education
In office
1973–1974
Member of the New York City Board of Education
In office
1969–1974
Personal details
Born(1933-12-12)December 12, 1933
DiedJanuary 2, 2025(2025-01-02) (aged 91)
Political partyDemocratic
EducationBrooklyn College
New York University

Seymour Paul Lachman (December 12, 1933 – January 2, 2025) was an American academic, political historian, book author, and politician from New York.

Background

Lachman was born on December 12, 1933. He graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1955, and Master of Arts in 1958, both in history from Brooklyn College; and Ph.D. in history from New York University in 1963.[1]

Lachman died on January 2, 2025, at the age of 91.[2]

Career

Lachman entered politics as a Democrat. He was a member of the New York City Board of Education from 1969 to 1974, and was President of the board from 1973[3] to 1974.[4] He resigned from the board to spend more time teaching at City University of New York.[5]

Lachman was a Professor of History and Political Science at Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York beginning in 1963, serving as Dean of the Mid-Brooklyn campus beginning in fall 1965.

On February 15, 1996, he was elected to the New York State Senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Martin M. Solomon to the New York City Civil Court.[6] He was re-elected four times and remained in the State Senate until 2004, sitting in the 191st, 192nd, 193rd, 194th and 195th New York State Legislatures. He was Deputy Minority Whip from 2003 to 2004. He retired from the State Senate in 2004 and was replaced by Diane Savino.

Afterwards he taught at Adelphi University. In 2008, upon its foundation, he became the Director of the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College.[7]

Books

  • Black/white/green/red: The Politics of Education in Ethnic America (1978) with David Bresnick and Murray Polner[8]
  • One Nation Under God: Religion in Contemporary American Society (1993) with Barry Kosmin[9]
  • Three Men in a Room: The Inside Story of Power and Betrayal in an American Statehouse (2006) with Newsday journalist Robert Polner[10]
  • The Man Who Saved New York: Hugh L. Carey and the Great Fiscal Crisis of 1975 (2011) co-authored by Robert Polner
  • Mr. New York: Lew Rudin and His Love for the City (2014)[11]
  • Failed State: Dysfunction and Corruption in an American Statehouse (2017) with Newsday journalist Robert Polner

References

  1. ^ "Wagner College Board of Trustees". Wagner College. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Seymour P. Lachman, 91, a longtime faculty member and administrator at Wagner College, former New York state senator and prolific died at 91". 3 January 2025. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  3. ^ Lachman Named Head of School Board After He Is Attacked as Cheating on Pay by John Sibley, in the New York Times on July 4, 1973 (subscription required)
  4. ^ LACHMAN LEAVING BOARD TO TEACH; Joining City U. After June 30 by Leonard Buder, in the New York Times on May 10, 1974 (subscription required)
  5. ^ Ever the Loyal Democrat, Lachman Reaps His Reward; ...Mr. Lachman, a 62-year-old City University dean... by Somin Sengupta, in the New York Times on January 28, 1996
  6. ^ 3 Democrats Win Contests by Jonathan P. Hicks, in the New York Times on February 16, 1996
  7. ^ Carey Institute at Wagner College
  8. ^ [1] https://books.google.mu/books/about/Black_white_green_red.html?id=fFqfAAAAMAAJ&hl=en&output=html_text
  9. ^ [2] https://books.google.com/bo[permanent dead link‍]oks/about/One_Nation_Under_God.html?id=Ordi8qW8RlMC
  10. ^ The Albany Three, and the Tattletale Telescope by Sam Roberts, in the New York Times on September 24, 2006
  11. ^ Seymour Lachman, Author: Mr. New York at CUNY TV
New York State Senate
Preceded by New York State Senate
22nd District
1996–2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by New York State Senate
23rd District
2003–2004 		Succeeded by