By: Annie Tummino, Head of Special Collections & Archives
Special Collections and Archives is pleased to announce that the papers of former Congressman Gary Ackerman (Queens College class of 1965) are now open for research, with a completed finding aid. Ackerman generously donated his papers to Queens College in 2018, but processing was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, during the quiet summer months, I was finally able to dedicate time to making this large and historically significant collection accessible. Comprised of 55 boxes, the collection features press clippings, photographs, professional papers, audiovisual materials, and campaign ephemera from Ackerman’s long and storied career serving the people of Queens.
A Democrat, Ackerman was frequently a part of bipartisan initiatives and served under five presidents. He was dedicated to local causes in his home district (seventh district from 1983-1993 and fifth district from 1993-2013), while also working on significant national legislation and actively participating in international issues. He was a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, and Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.
Photographs in the collection represent a veritable “who’s who” of 1980s-2000s history. Ackerman is pictured with a variety of significant domestic and international political and cultural figures, including US presidents, representatives, House speakers, senators, governors, mayors, and prime ministers and presidents from around the world.
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- Ackerman with Nelson Mandela in 1993
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- Ackerman with President Obama in 2011
Other photographs provide evidence of the everyday work of a representative in Washington D.C. They capture visits of student and constituent groups to the Capitol building, bagel brunches for pages, fundraisers, parties, committee work, hearings, swearing-in days, and protests, among other subjects. Ackerman’s activities are also captured on video, with hundreds of DVDs containing moving image footage of news clips, committee meetings, House Floor speeches, and community events.
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- In 2001, Ackerman set up a mobile office outside the Capitol building when offices were closed due to Anthrax attacks.
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- To thank legislative pages, Ackerman hosted brunches with bagels shipped from NYC.
Ackerman’s professional files include many folders of thank you notes from constituents regarding personal assistance his office provided. There’s also a large quantity of correspondence with President Bill Clinton during his tenure in the White House. Many of the letters demonstrate a meaningful dialogue on complex issues of national and international significance, while others express holiday and birthday wishes.
Passover greetings from the White House, 2000
To learn more about Gary Ackerman’s biography, including his time as a student at Queens College in the 1960s, you can listen to the oral history that was conducted in collaboration with the Queens Memory Project. A second interview with Ackerman about his time in Congress is forthcoming.
To schedule a research appointment or class visit to view the Gary Ackerman Papers, or for any other information, please email Special Collections and Archives at qc.archives@qc.cuny.edu.