Hulan Edwin Jack (December 29, 1906 – December 19, 1986) was a prominent Saint Lucian-born New York politician who in 1954 became the highest ranking Caribbean American municipal official up until that time, when he was elected Borough President of Manhattan.[1]
Jack was born on December 29, 1906, in Saint Lucia, and spent his early years in British Guiana before emigrating to the United States.[2] His father was a minister in the African Orthodox Church. The young Hulan worked as a janitor at a paper box factory, eventually rising to become a vice president of the firm.[1]
In November 1953, Jack was elected Borough President of Manhattan, making him one of the nation's most important African-American elected officials.[1][4][5]
In 1956, Jack was the featured speaker at an event called "Interracial Sunday" at Loyola University New Orleans. This caused a major controversy, and Emile Wagner, one of the founders of the New Orleans White Citizens Council, obtained material from the House Unamerican Activities Committee which suggested that Jack was a former member of subversive organizations. Jack denied the charges, accusing the White Citizens Council of a "rearguard action to disobey the decision handed-down by the Supreme Court on desegregation in schools." New York City Mayor Robert F. Wagner defended Jack, calling him "the highest grade of American that I know of."[6]
In 1959, Jack was indicted for allowing a friend, Sidney Ungar, to pay a $4,400 bill for the remodeling of his apartment. It was charged that Ungar, a real estate developer, hoped to obtain a contract from the city in return for the favor, even though Jack voted against granting Ungar the contract. Jack was tried twice; the first trial ended with a hung jury, and in the second trial, the jury found him guilty of accepting the gift and of then conspiring to hide it.[5][7] On January 16, 1961, Jack was sentenced to a suspended one-year term in prison, which had the effect of automatically removing him from the office of Borough President.[8]Charles Rangel later stated, “He got screwed. He went to Mass every morning, and Jesus left his ass holding the bag.”[9] He was succeeded in the Borough Presidents office by Edward R. Dudley.
Return to Assemblyedit
Jack was elected a member of the State Assembly from 1968 to 1972, representing the 70th District in the 177th, 178th and 179th New York State Legislatures. In 1972, Jack was convicted of extortion, along with five others. They were trying to force shop owners to carry a line of products manufactured by a company owned by Jack.[10] He received a three-month prison term and a $5,000 fine. He appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which denied his appeal.[11]
LaRouche movementedit
Jack became involved with the LaRouche movement, acting as a consultant to the 1980 presidential campaign of Lyndon LaRouche.[12] The LaRouche publishing house, New Benjamin Franklin House, published Jack's autobiography, Fifty Years a Democrat.[12] Jack and LaRouche founded the Committee for a New Africa Policy, which lobbied for short term aid and long-term infrastructure development for Africa.[2] In 1984, Jack became a founding member and board member of the LaRouche-affiliated Schiller Institute.[13]
Jack, Hulan Fifty Years a Democrat:The Autobiography of Hulan Jack New Benjamin Franklin House New York, NY 1983
Further readingedit
John C. Walker,The Harlem Fox: J. Raymond Jones at Tammany 1920:1970, New York: State University New York Press, 1989.
Referencesedit
^ abcJohnson, John H., ed. (November 19, 1953). "Hulan Jack Wins N. Y. Election, Becomes Top Negro City Official". Jet. Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. 5 (2): 8–9.
^Biondi, Martha, To Stand And Fight: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Postwar New York City, Harvard University Press, 2003, pp. 117, 242
^Johnson, John H., ed. (December 10, 1953). "Hulan Jack Tries New Chair". Jet. Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. 5 (5): 5.
^ ab. Time. January 25, 1960. Archived from the original on June 3, 2008.
^Anderson, R. Bentley, Black, White, and Catholic: New Orleans Interracialism, 1947-1956, Vanderbilt University Press, 2005, pp. 154-159
^. Time. December 19, 1960. Archived from the original on October 8, 2010.
^Kihss, Peter (January 17, 1961). "Hulan Jack Gets Suspended Term; Judge Scores Him — Year in Prison Is Dropped — Close Vote Foreseen on Successor in Post". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^Moskowitz, Eric (20 February 2019). "The Complex Story of Hulan Jack, the First Black 'Boss of Manhattan'". The New York Times.
^Severo, Richard (December 9, 1970). "Hulan Jack and 5 Others Indicted for Labor Fraud". New York Times. p. 1.
^"Supreme Court Spurns Appeal by Hulan Jack". New York Times. March 27, 1973.
^ abBiondi, Martha, To Stand And Fight: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Postwar New York City, Harvard University Press (2003), p. 324.
^"Hon. Hulan E. Jack — Former Borough President of Manhattan Development, Not Despair". schillerinstitute.org. Schiller Institute — Founding Conference. July 2–4, 1984. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^Saxon, Wolfgang (December 22, 1986). "Hulan E. Jack Dies at 79; Ex-Politician in Harlem". New York Times. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^Perkins, Bill; Adams, Michael Henry (September 26, 2004). "Chipping Away At Harlem". New York Times.
hulan, jack, hulan, edwin, jack, december, 1906, december, 1986, prominent, saint, lucian, born, york, politician, 1954, became, highest, ranking, caribbean, american, municipal, official, until, that, time, when, elected, borough, president, manhattan, boroug. Hulan Edwin Jack December 29 1906 December 19 1986 was a prominent Saint Lucian born New York politician who in 1954 became the highest ranking Caribbean American municipal official up until that time when he was elected Borough President of Manhattan 1 Hulan JackBorough President of ManhattanIn office January 1 1954 April 22 1960Preceded byRobert F Wagner Jr Succeeded byEdward R DudleyMember of the New York State Assembly from the 17th districtIn office 1941 1944Preceded byOscar Garcia RiveraSucceeded byDistrict AbolishedMember of the New York State Assembly from the 14th districtIn office 1945 1953Preceded byWarren J McCarronSucceeded byKenneth M PhippsMember of the New York State Assembly from the 70th districtIn office 1968 1972Preceded byJose Ramos LopezSucceeded byJesse GrayPersonal detailsBorn 1906 12 29 December 29 1906Saint LuciaDiedDecember 19 1986 1986 12 19 aged 79 Manhattan New York U S Political partyDemocratic Contents 1 Early life 2 Borough President 3 Return to Assembly 4 LaRouche movement 5 Death 6 Works 7 Further reading 8 ReferencesEarly life editJack was born on December 29 1906 in Saint Lucia and spent his early years in British Guiana before emigrating to the United States 2 His father was a minister in the African Orthodox Church The young Hulan worked as a janitor at a paper box factory eventually rising to become a vice president of the firm 1 He went on to become active in politics with Tammany Hall winning several elections to the New York State Assembly representing parts of Harlem in the 163rd 164th 165th 166th 167th 168th and 169th New York State Legislatures from 1941 to 1953 As a legislator he attempted unsuccessfully to pass legislation that would block the racial segregation in New York State public schools and in the sale of property 3 Borough President editIn November 1953 Jack was elected Borough President of Manhattan making him one of the nation s most important African American elected officials 1 4 5 In 1956 Jack was the featured speaker at an event called Interracial Sunday at Loyola University New Orleans This caused a major controversy and Emile Wagner one of the founders of the New Orleans White Citizens Council obtained material from the House Unamerican Activities Committee which suggested that Jack was a former member of subversive organizations Jack denied the charges accusing the White Citizens Council of a rearguard action to disobey the decision handed down by the Supreme Court on desegregation in schools New York City Mayor Robert F Wagner defended Jack calling him the highest grade of American that I know of 6 In 1959 Jack was indicted for allowing a friend Sidney Ungar to pay a 4 400 bill for the remodeling of his apartment It was charged that Ungar a real estate developer hoped to obtain a contract from the city in return for the favor even though Jack voted against granting Ungar the contract Jack was tried twice the first trial ended with a hung jury and in the second trial the jury found him guilty of accepting the gift and of then conspiring to hide it 5 7 On January 16 1961 Jack was sentenced to a suspended one year term in prison which had the effect of automatically removing him from the office of Borough President 8 Charles Rangel later stated He got screwed He went to Mass every morning and Jesus left his ass holding the bag 9 He was succeeded in the Borough Presidents office by Edward R Dudley Return to Assembly editJack was elected a member of the State Assembly from 1968 to 1972 representing the 70th District in the 177th 178th and 179th New York State Legislatures In 1972 Jack was convicted of extortion along with five others They were trying to force shop owners to carry a line of products manufactured by a company owned by Jack 10 He received a three month prison term and a 5 000 fine He appealed to the U S Supreme Court which denied his appeal 11 LaRouche movement editJack became involved with the LaRouche movement acting as a consultant to the 1980 presidential campaign of Lyndon LaRouche 12 The LaRouche publishing house New Benjamin Franklin House published Jack s autobiography Fifty Years a Democrat 12 Jack and LaRouche founded the Committee for a New Africa Policy which lobbied for short term aid and long term infrastructure development for Africa 2 In 1984 Jack became a founding member and board member of the LaRouche affiliated Schiller Institute 13 Death editJack died of cancer on December 19 1986 in St Luke s Hospital in Manhattan 14 He belonged to the Roman Catholic church 15 He was 79 Works editJack Hulan Fifty Years a Democrat The Autobiography of Hulan Jack New Benjamin Franklin House New York NY 1983Further reading editJohn C Walker The Harlem Fox J Raymond Jones at Tammany 1920 1970 New York State University New York Press 1989 References edit a b c Johnson John H ed November 19 1953 Hulan Jack Wins N Y Election Becomes Top Negro City Official Jet Chicago Illinois Johnson Publishing Company Inc 5 2 8 9 a b Biography at BlackPast org Biondi Martha To Stand And Fight The Struggle for Civil Rights in Postwar New York City Harvard University Press 2003 pp 117 242 Johnson John H ed December 10 1953 Hulan Jack Tries New Chair Jet Chicago Illinois Johnson Publishing Company Inc 5 5 5 a b New York Borrowing Trouble Time January 25 1960 Archived from the original on June 3 2008 Anderson R Bentley Black White and Catholic New Orleans Interracialism 1947 1956 Vanderbilt University Press 2005 pp 154 159 Sequels Found Guilty Time December 19 1960 Archived from the original on October 8 2010 Kihss Peter January 17 1961 Hulan Jack Gets Suspended Term Judge Scores Him Year in Prison Is Dropped Close Vote Foreseen on Successor in Post New York Times p 1 Retrieved 17 November 2016 Moskowitz Eric 20 February 2019 The Complex Story of Hulan Jack the First Black Boss of Manhattan The New York Times Severo Richard December 9 1970 Hulan Jack and 5 Others Indicted for Labor Fraud New York Times p 1 Supreme Court Spurns Appeal by Hulan Jack New York Times March 27 1973 a b Biondi Martha To Stand And Fight The Struggle for Civil Rights in Postwar New York City Harvard University Press 2003 p 324 Hon Hulan E Jack Former Borough President of Manhattan Development Not Despair schillerinstitute org Schiller Institute Founding Conference July 2 4 1984 Retrieved 17 November 2016 Saxon Wolfgang December 22 1986 Hulan E Jack Dies at 79 Ex Politician in Harlem New York Times Retrieved 17 November 2016 Perkins Bill Adams Michael Henry September 26 2004 Chipping Away At Harlem New York Times New York State AssemblyPreceded byOscar Garcia Rivera New York State Assembly New York County 17th District1941 1944 Succeeded byDistrict abolishedPreceded byWarren J McCarron New York State Assembly New York County 14th District1945 1953 Succeeded byKenneth M PhippsPreceded byJose Ramos Lopez New York State Assembly 70th District1968 1972 Succeeded byJesse GrayPolitical officesPreceded byRobert F Wagner Jr Borough President of Manhattan1954 1961 Succeeded byEdward R Dudley Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hulan Jack amp oldid 1137649739, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
