Arthur Eve
Encyclopedia
Arthur O. Eve is a retired American
politician who served as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly
(1967–2002) and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly (1979–2002) representing districts in . He was the first African American to win the Buffalo Mayoral Democratic Primary but was defeated in the following mayoral election.
Eve was elected a New York State Assemblyman in 1966 and by the time of his retirement in 2002 had served in the New York State Assembly (143rd District 1967–82, 141st District 1983–2002) longer than any other incumbent member. As Deputy Speaker, he 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 of New York State Governors Mario Cuomo
and George Pataki
. He was a founding member of the New York State Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus. At the national level, Eve was once one of three alternates to the 15-person 1984 Democratic Party Platform Committee.
Eve was an observer and negotiator during the 1971 Attica Prison riot and the first official to enter the facility to hear the demands of the inmates. An advocate for liberal causes such as 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. He is the father of attorney and former candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York
Leecia Eve
.
, but was raised in Florida. After studies at West Virginia State College he arrived in Buffalo in February 1953 as a product of the segregated south, with less than $10 ($ today) in his pocket. Eve served in the United States Army
from 1953–1955 and achieved the rank of corporal
. Eve holds an Associate's degree
from Erie Community College
and a Bachelor of Science
from West Virginia. He had been an All-High basketball player in Florida and became an All-Europe player during his Army tour of duty
in Germany, where he ran a program for orphan
s. After completing his Army service he returned to Buffalo in 1955. Eve's first job in Buffalo was in a Chevrolet
plant. While working there he became aware of drugs problems with local youths in the city's parks, and observed a lack of guidance for youth in the community. He surrendered his job to pursue a post in parks recreation, but learned that such jobs were doled out by political patronage to party loyalists. Eve joined the Democratic Party and got one of the patronage parks jobs. By 1958, he was blossoming as an independent activist within the party, pursuing minority rights, and was the only ward leader who was not part of the political establishment. This role led to his 1966 New York State Assembly election victory.
Eve and Constance Bowles (born 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. Leecia is a Democratic politician and attorney
and a former candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York
during the 2006 election as well as a contender to replace Hillary Clinton as United States Senator when Clinton became United States Secretary of State
in 2009. Eric, who was a White House
aide under Bill Clinton
, ran Al Gore
's New York State 2000 Democratic presidential primary
campaign. Malcolm also worked for the Clinton administration.
Eve, who was an Episcopalian
, has a history of being a religious man. He was a deacon
in his church in the 1970s. After his retirement from politics, he became an evangelist
.
Eve was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1966 following several years of service as an independent ward leader in Buffalo. Eve rose to prominence in the mid 1960s during Buffalo's civil disturbances and rights. He expanded his notability during the Attica Prison riots. In Buffalo's Civil Rights Movement riots, Eve attempted to organize formal meetings in order to avert physical confrontations. Eve fought against union policies which disallowed minority participation in apprentice programs that led to high paying union
jobs on state construction sites. He threatened New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller
that he would lie down in front of bulldozer
s at one of these sites. In 1968, he 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. The protests by supporters of Eve's effort caused Rockefeller to call for an eleven-month construction moratorium starting in March 1969.
In April 1969, the construction of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building
(originally known as the Harlem State Office Building) at 125th Street
and Seventh Avenue
became a political quagmire. Originally, Rockefeller had proposed a 20-story office building and a 10-story cultural and civic center, but the legislature only approved funding for the office building. Eventually, there was protesting by the Harlem
community that halted construction. Eve brokered discussions between Rockefeller and State Senator Basil Paterson
, who represented the disgruntled Harlem community.
During Eve's first term as an assemblyman, he led the effort to obtain an initial $500,000 ($ as of ) of funding to establish the State University of New York
system's SEEK/Educational Opportunity Program. 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 and financial circumstances. Later, in 1988, he would received the Kennedy Center Distinguished Leadership in Arts-in-Education award.
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In the late 1960s, Eve drove a constituent to Attica State Prison, which is 100 miles (160.9 km) from Buffalo. After observing the prison's conditions, he began to introduce prison reform legislation to the state assembly. Since most legislators were fearful of political backlash and avoided prison reform issues, Eve became the primary channel through which prisoners could forward their complaints and requests. His compassion for the prisoners was recognised by them. For example, in the months following the eight-hour November 4, 1970 seizure of the Auburn Correctional Facility, Eve was the only legislator named as a recipient of prisoner complaints.
Eve served as an observer and negotiator in the wake of the 1971 Attica Prison riot. Believing that the situation called for people who were credible to both the prison population as well as to people involved with and observing the situation from outside the prison, he joined Tom Wicker
and John Dunne
, among others, in entering the prison to hear the inmates' demands. Eve was the first mediator to arrive at the scene of the rebellion. He was the first elected official to enter the prison yard following the riot in which 42 prisoners were taken, and he led the September 11 tour by the requested visitors to the seized Cellblock D as well as other areas of the prison. The prisoners requested direct communication with the Commissioner of Corrections, Russell G. Oswald, and that specific individuals hear their demands, naming Louis Farrakhan
, Huey Newton, and William Kunstler
; Kunstler eventually agreed to serve as their legal counsel. The primary prisoner demand was that, upon surrendering control of the prison back to the guards, they not be beaten. Farrakhan refused to attend to the situation in person, however, which Eve felt was a turning point in the negotiations. Eve has expressed the belief that Governor Rockefeller was responsible for the massacre that subsequently occurred in the prison, and that Rockefeller made a deliberate decision to escalate the conflict knowing that there would likely be some loss of life. After negotiations stalled over a demand for amnesty, a rescue operation saved 29 hostages and led to 10 inmate deaths. Eve was critical of Rockefeller's decision to not come observe the prison and the negotiations but rather pursue tactical measures: "I think Governor Rockefeller ought to be indicted." In the 1992 Attica civil-liability trial, Eve testified on behalf of the inmates. 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.
In February 1971, Eve sponsored two bills. One called for a minimum of 0.5% of construction funds be allocated to on-the-job training for construction workers. The other was an initiative to have Buffalo Public Schools
be decentralized like New York City Public Schools had been the prior year.
In the 1974 elections, New York State Democratic Chairman, Joseph Crangle, attempted to block Eve from obtaining the Democratic nomination. After the 1974 election, Eve was the senior Assemblyman among the blacks and Puerto Ricans. Following the 1974 elections in which 15 of the 18 newly Democratic seats were from non-New York City Democrats, the upstate delegation was credited with giving the democrats a majority. That year marked the year in which upstate democrats demanded that there be some division of the Democratic minority leader, Democratic deputy minority leader, Assistant minority leader, minority whip, and ranking member of the Ways and Means committee, which had all previously been given to New York City officials. Incoming Governor Hugh Carey
was also interested in a geographic division of key positions in order to promote party unity. Eve sat on a 1978 Medicaid reimbursement evaluation committee.
mayor Stanley Makowski
announced he would not seek reelection in May; on the same day, Eve announced his candidacy for the post. Despite his numerous successes at fostering communication, he was described as a militant civil rights leader. Eve's primary campaign was described by Frank Prial of The New York Times
as a campaign against Crangle rather than his handpicked candidate, Leslie Foschio. Eve declared his intentions early to add incentive to a voter registration drive, and he modeled his campaign after Carl Stokes' 1967 Mayor of Cleveland election, which used decentralized election districts. Although he was expected to finish no better than third in the four-way race, he believed in a strategy to take 90 percent of the black vote and 10 percent of the rest. 30% of the 425,000 Buffalo residents were black at the time. Eve's candidacy blossomed during the four televised Democratic debates. Eve capitalized on Jimmy Griffin's late campaign strategy of describing the Mayor job as simple like all jobs. Eve and his supporters supposedly registered 10,000 new black voters.
Eve became the first African-American to win the Democratic Party's Buffalo Mayoral Primary election
. Eve won the primary for the Democratic nomination by a 25,538–23,579 (approximately 37%–34%) margin over Griffin. Griffin subsequently became the Conservative Party's nominee; third-placed primary finisher Foschio also threatened to enter the general election. Eve was supported by Erie County
Democratic Chairman Joseph Crangle, who hoped to prevent a third Democrat, such as Foschio, from running in the general election by endorsing Eve publicly, but Eve campaigned without Crangle's backing or that of the Democratic Party. Eve spurned Chairman Crangle's endorsement because the endorsement would have caused him to be associated with the Crangle machine. He subsequently distanced himself from Crangle by announcing that he was not supporting the chairman's bid for re-election in 1978. The 1977 Buffalo Mayoral primary had had a 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.
of the New York State Legislature, as Deputy Speaker, Eve was the highest-ranking black legislator while in office. In 1979, the Democratic majority fell from 90–60 to 86–64, while the caucus' Assembly membership had grown from 15 to 16. This meant that the caucus had a much stronger position to obstruct legislation by withholding it votes, since 76 votes were necessary for legislation to pass. In 1980, Eve resumed his chairmanship of the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus. The following year, Eve was elected unanimously to a committee to study state election law when he complained that no blacks were on the committee even though he said his complaint should have not been taken as an effort to lobby for a position.
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 together for Governor and New York State Lieutenant Governor. Eve adamantly opposed the ticket, speaking in support of Mario Cuomo
. Eventually, Griffin decided not to pursue statewide office. In 1983, Deputy Speaker Eve was no longer Caucus Chairman.
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. Following Cuomo's 1982 New York State Governors general election victory, Eve became critical of Cuomo's supply side approach to budget balancing, and was acknowledged by Cuomo as a voice of opposition which represented interests such as public housing
. Eve also served as an adviser to Jesse Jackson
during his 1984 presidential campaign, and after Jackson named his two delegates to the 1984 Democratic Party platform committee, he named Eve as his first alternate. In 1984, Eve was among those involved in a controversy over the use of a state plane to attend a dinner for Paterson. Questions arose about whether it was a community event or a political event due to the possibility that the funds raised at the dinner might be used for a Mayoral campaign. Even after Cuomo was succeeded by Pataki, Eve continued to voice opposition to any attempts to balance the state's budget by cutting taxes. In 1985, Eve sponsored legislation to provide scholarships for the underprivileged and to fund precollege enrichment programs that was described by President of the Associated Medical Schools of New York Dr. Robert Friedlander as landmark.
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. Most minority assembly members voted for Brooklyn
's Mel Miller
due to the influence of downstate party organizers. 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
. In June 1988, Eve spearheaded a group of 12 black state ticket committemembers who protested the absence of a black on the state ticket of Cuomo, Stan Lundine
and Herman Badillo
, by voting for another candidate, but he was not joined in protest by Manhattan
leaders David Dinkins
and Herman Farrell. In November 1988, he was also among the few lawmakers to vote against the budget cuts and the first to call for a delay in their enactment. Eve's outspokenness occasionally attracted opposition to his own interests, as it did later that same year. During his 1988 re-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; Jenkins prevailed in her primary election
. During the 1988 Democratic Party presidential primaries
, Eve endorsed Jackson over Al Gore
and Michael Dukakis
. 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
. In both 1989 and 1993, Eve considered running for mayor. His wife opposed the 1989 campaign. In 1993, he felt he would have the opportunity to have a Buffalo Mayor he had a working relationship with if Anthony Masiello
were to become mayor, and he, therefore declined to run so that he could endorse Masiello.
In 2000, Eve was challenged by Crystal Peoples-Stokes
, 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. 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. Peoples-Stokes's Democratic primary election
challenge was almost successful, and it was credited with energizing minority voters to elect Byron Brown
as a New York State Senator.
In 2000, Eve proposed that Pataki declare March 10 as Harriet Tubman
day, in honor of the African-American abolitionist who helped bring about the emancipation of many slaves. In 2001 Eve began efforts to have the day declared a state holiday, but the legislation failed passage in the New York State Senate. Tubman had lived over 50 years in , where the Harriet Tubman House is located. The movement to commemorate her spread to her birthplace state, Maryland. Eve continued his efforts in 2002, but the legislation did not pass until 2003, after his retirement.
, and for his services 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. Eve's major emphasis is on those at the very bottom of society; he believes that a nation should be judged by how it attends to the needs of its lowest citizens—the homeless, the chronically poor, and the working poor, among whom blacks are numbered disproportionately.
Eve campaigned for the increased availability of health care
services. He legislated against hate crime
s and advocated against the expansion of legalized gambling
to casino
s that would effectively tax the economically disadvantaged, although the gambling legislation was nevertheless approved. Eve noted that the vast majority of lottery tickets were bought by those in the lower income bracket, and advocated for greater representation in the New York State jury pools by the economically disadvantaged. He also urged restraint in banking deregulation
.
has described Eve's retirement as a significant loss and an example of why he opposes term limit
s. 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. By 2004, New York State approved Eve's foundation to provide afterschool tutoring. 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, and he remained active in discussions regarding the allocation of the state sales tax
. In February 2008, the Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys in Albany dedicated its new conference hall in his honor.
In 2005, Eve's daughter Leecia announced her intention to run for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 2006. When Eliot Spitzer
announced he had selected David Paterson
to be his running mate for the 2006 New York State Elections, there was some controversy because Eve had been joined by Dinkins, Rangel, Percy Sutton
and Basil Paterson (who is David Paterson's father) in endorsing his daughter.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
(1967–2002) and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly (1979–2002) representing districts in . He was the first African American to win the Buffalo Mayoral Democratic Primary but was defeated in the following mayoral election.
Eve was elected a New York State Assemblyman in 1966 and by the time of his retirement in 2002 had served in the New York State Assembly (143rd District 1967–82, 141st District 1983–2002) longer than any other incumbent member. As Deputy Speaker, he was the highest ranking African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
in the New York State Legislature. During his political career he became a political foe of Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
politician James D. Griffin and of New York State Governors Mario Cuomo
Mario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
and George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
. He was a founding member of the New York State Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus. At the national level, Eve was once one of three alternates to the 15-person 1984 Democratic Party Platform Committee.
Eve was an observer and negotiator during the 1971 Attica Prison riot and the first official to enter the facility to hear the demands of the inmates. An advocate for liberal causes such as economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
, education, job training and development, social services, crime prevention
Crime prevention
Crime prevention is the attempt to reduce victimization and to deter crime and criminals. It is applied specifically to efforts made by governments to reduce crime, enforce the law, and maintain criminal justice.-Studies:...
and parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
reform, day care
Day care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
and housing, Eve was also a leader in the movement to legislate Harriet Tubman Day as a New York State holiday. He is the father of attorney and former candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
Leecia Eve
Leecia Eve
Leecia Roberta Eve is an attorney in New York. A resident of Fort Washington, Maryland and former resident of Buffalo, NY, Eve is the daughter of former Assembly member Arthur Eve and was candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York during the 2006 election. She was a Senior Policy adviser to...
.
Early life and family
Eve was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, but was raised in Florida. After studies at West Virginia State College he arrived in Buffalo in February 1953 as a product of the segregated south, with less than $10 ($ today) in his pocket. Eve served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1953–1955 and achieved the rank of corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
. Eve holds an Associate's degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
from Erie Community College
Erie Community College
Erie Community College is a two-year community college that is part of the 64-campus SUNY system. It is the fourth-largest community college in New York State....
and a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from West Virginia. He had been an All-High basketball player in Florida and became an All-Europe player during his Army tour of duty
Tour of duty
In the Navy, a tour of duty is a period of time spent performing operational duties at sea, including combat, performing patrol or fleet duties, or assigned to service in a foreign country....
in Germany, where he ran a program for orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
s. After completing his Army service he returned to Buffalo in 1955. Eve's first job in Buffalo was in a Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
plant. While working there he became aware of drugs problems with local youths in the city's parks, and observed a lack of guidance for youth in the community. He surrendered his job to pursue a post in parks recreation, but learned that such jobs were doled out by political patronage to party loyalists. Eve joined the Democratic Party and got one of the patronage parks jobs. By 1958, he was blossoming as an independent activist within the party, pursuing minority rights, and was the only ward leader who was not part of the political establishment. This role led to his 1966 New York State Assembly election victory.
Eve and Constance Bowles (born July 14, 1932), also an alumnus
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of West Virginia State College, were married in June 1956. They have one daughter and four sons: Leecia Roberta Eve
Leecia Eve
Leecia Roberta Eve is an attorney in New York. A resident of Fort Washington, Maryland and former resident of Buffalo, NY, Eve is the daughter of former Assembly member Arthur Eve and was candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York during the 2006 election. She was a Senior Policy adviser to...
, Arthur O. Eve, Jr.; Eric Vincent Eve, Martin King Eve, and Malcolm X. Eve. Leecia is a Democratic politician and attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and a former candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
during the 2006 election as well as a contender to replace Hillary Clinton as United States Senator when Clinton became United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
in 2009. Eric, who was a White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
aide under Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, ran Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
's New York State 2000 Democratic presidential primary
Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2000
The 2000 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2000 U.S. presidential election...
campaign. Malcolm also worked for the Clinton administration.
Eve, who was an Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
, has a history of being a religious man. He was a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in his church in the 1970s. After his retirement from politics, he became an evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
.
Assemblyman 1967–1978
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
jobs on state construction sites. He threatened New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
that he would lie down in front of bulldozer
Bulldozer
A bulldozer is a crawler equipped with a substantial metal plate used to push large quantities of soil, sand, rubble, etc., during construction work and typically equipped at the rear with a claw-like device to loosen densely-compacted materials.Bulldozers can be found on a wide range of sites,...
s at one of these sites. In 1968, he delayed construction on the State University of New York at Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
's Amherst Campus to push through an agreement that New York State and the unions would promote minority access into the construction industry. The protests by supporters of Eve's effort caused Rockefeller to call for an eleven-month construction moratorium starting in March 1969.
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building
The Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building is a nineteen story high-rise office building located at the intersection of 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard the Harlem neighborhood of the New York City borough of Manhattan...
(originally known as the Harlem State Office Building) at 125th Street
125th Street (Manhattan)
125th Street is a two-way street that runs east-west in the New York City borough of Manhattan, considered the "Main Street" of Harlem; It is also called Martin Luther King, Jr...
and Seventh Avenue
Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)
Seventh Avenue, known as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard north of Central Park, is a thoroughfare on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is southbound below Central Park and a two-way street north of the park....
became a political quagmire. Originally, Rockefeller had proposed a 20-story office building and a 10-story cultural and civic center, but the legislature only approved funding for the office building. Eventually, there was protesting by the Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
community that halted construction. Eve brokered discussions between Rockefeller and State Senator Basil Paterson
Basil Paterson
Basil Alexander Paterson , a labor lawyer, is a longtime political leader in New York and Harlem and father of the 55th Governor of New York, David Paterson. His mother was Jamaican, his father Grenadian.-Early life:...
, who represented the disgruntled Harlem community.
During Eve's first term as an assemblyman, he led the effort to obtain an initial $500,000 ($ as of ) of funding to establish the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
system's SEEK/Educational Opportunity Program. 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 and financial circumstances. Later, in 1988, he would received the Kennedy Center Distinguished Leadership in Arts-in-Education award.
Eve served as an observer and negotiator in the wake of the 1971 Attica Prison riot. Believing that the situation called for people who were credible to both the prison population as well as to people involved with and observing the situation from outside the prison, he joined Tom Wicker
Tom Wicker
Thomas Grey "Tom" Wicker was an American journalist. He was best known as a political reporter and columnist for The New York Times.-Background and education:...
and John Dunne
John Dunne (politician)
John Richard Dunne is a Republican politician and lawyer from Long Island, New York. Dunne was a major figure in New York Republican politics in the second half of the 20th century. He is best remembered for his twenty-three years in the State Senate and his involvement in the Attica prison...
, among others, in entering the prison to hear the inmates' demands. Eve was the first mediator to arrive at the scene of the rebellion. He was the first elected official to enter the prison yard following the riot in which 42 prisoners were taken, and he led the September 11 tour by the requested visitors to the seized Cellblock D as well as other areas of the prison. The prisoners requested direct communication with the Commissioner of Corrections, Russell G. Oswald, and that specific individuals hear their demands, naming Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan Muhammad, Sr. is the leader of the African-American religious movement the Nation of Islam . He served as the minister of major mosques in Boston and Harlem, and was appointed by the longtime NOI leader, Elijah Muhammad, before his death in 1975, as the National Representative of...
, Huey Newton, and William Kunstler
William Kunstler
William Moses Kunstler was an American self-described "radical lawyer" and civil rights activist, known for his controversial clients...
; Kunstler eventually agreed to serve as their legal counsel. The primary prisoner demand was that, upon surrendering control of the prison back to the guards, they not be beaten. Farrakhan refused to attend to the situation in person, however, which Eve felt was a turning point in the negotiations. Eve has expressed the belief that Governor Rockefeller was responsible for the massacre that subsequently occurred in the prison, and that Rockefeller made a deliberate decision to escalate the conflict knowing that there would likely be some loss of life. After negotiations stalled over a demand for amnesty, a rescue operation saved 29 hostages and led to 10 inmate deaths. Eve was critical of Rockefeller's decision to not come observe the prison and the negotiations but rather pursue tactical measures: "I think Governor Rockefeller ought to be indicted." In the 1992 Attica civil-liability trial, Eve testified on behalf of the inmates. In March 2001, then New York Governor George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
appointed Eve to the Attica Task Force that met with families of Attica prison employees who survived the 1971 uprising and negotiated reparations.
In February 1971, Eve sponsored two bills. One called for a minimum of 0.5% of construction funds be allocated to on-the-job training for construction workers. The other was an initiative to have Buffalo Public Schools
Buffalo Public Schools
Buffalo Public Schools serves approximately 47,000 students in Buffalo, New York, the second largest city in the state of New York. It is located in Erie County of western New York and operates nearly 70 facilities.-History:...
be decentralized like New York City Public Schools had been the prior year.
In the 1974 elections, New York State Democratic Chairman, Joseph Crangle, attempted to block Eve from obtaining the Democratic nomination. After the 1974 election, Eve was the senior Assemblyman among the blacks and Puerto Ricans. Following the 1974 elections in which 15 of the 18 newly Democratic seats were from non-New York City Democrats, the upstate delegation was credited with giving the democrats a majority. That year marked the year in which upstate democrats demanded that there be some division of the Democratic minority leader, Democratic deputy minority leader, Assistant minority leader, minority whip, and ranking member of the Ways and Means committee, which had all previously been given to New York City officials. Incoming Governor Hugh Carey
Hugh Carey
Hugh Leo Carey was an American attorney, the 51st Governor of New York from 1975 to 1982, and a seven-term United States Representative .- Early life :...
was also interested in a geographic division of key positions in order to promote party unity. Eve sat on a 1978 Medicaid reimbursement evaluation committee.
1977 Mayoral campaign
On March 3, 1977, Buffalo's incumbentIncumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
mayor Stanley Makowski
Stanley Makowski
Stanley M. "Stan" Makowski was Mayor of the City of Buffalo, New York, serving 1974–1977. He was born in Buffalo on April 22, 1923, as the youngest of two children of Polish immigrants. He dropped out of Hutchinson Central High School and served six months with the Civilian Conservation Corps...
announced he would not seek reelection in May; on the same day, Eve announced his candidacy for the post. Despite his numerous successes at fostering communication, he was described as a militant civil rights leader. Eve's primary campaign was described by Frank Prial of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as a campaign against Crangle rather than his handpicked candidate, Leslie Foschio. Eve declared his intentions early to add incentive to a voter registration drive, and he modeled his campaign after Carl Stokes' 1967 Mayor of Cleveland election, which used decentralized election districts. Although he was expected to finish no better than third in the four-way race, he believed in a strategy to take 90 percent of the black vote and 10 percent of the rest. 30% of the 425,000 Buffalo residents were black at the time. Eve's candidacy blossomed during the four televised Democratic debates. Eve capitalized on Jimmy Griffin's late campaign strategy of describing the Mayor job as simple like all jobs. Eve and his supporters supposedly registered 10,000 new black voters.
Eve became the first African-American to win the Democratic Party's Buffalo Mayoral Primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
. Eve won the primary for the Democratic nomination by a 25,538–23,579 (approximately 37%–34%) margin over Griffin. Griffin subsequently became the Conservative Party's nominee; third-placed primary finisher Foschio also threatened to enter the general election. Eve was supported by Erie County
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
Democratic Chairman Joseph Crangle, who hoped to prevent a third Democrat, such as Foschio, from running in the general election by endorsing Eve publicly, but Eve campaigned without Crangle's backing or that of the Democratic Party. Eve spurned Chairman Crangle's endorsement because the endorsement would have caused him to be associated with the Crangle machine. He subsequently distanced himself from Crangle by announcing that he was not supporting the chairman's bid for re-election in 1978. The 1977 Buffalo Mayoral primary had had a voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
of 77–80% in the Black community, the highest ever for an African American community in the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
, and surpassed nationwide in terms of African American voter turnout only by the 1967 Mayor of Cleveland election of Carl Stokes.
Deputy Speaker era 1979–2003
By 1978 Eve had attained the title of Deputy Majority Leader. Eve, who had been chairperson of the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus in 1975 and 1976, was appointed Deputy Speaker of the New York State Assembly during the 1979 legislative session. Because of the lack of minority representation in either chamberChambers of parliament
Many parliaments or other legislatures consist of two chambers : an elected lower house, and an upper house or Senate which may be appointed or elected by a different mechanism from the lower house. This style of two houses is called bicameral...
of the New York State Legislature, as Deputy Speaker, Eve was the highest-ranking black legislator while in office. In 1979, the Democratic majority fell from 90–60 to 86–64, while the caucus' Assembly membership had grown from 15 to 16. This meant that the caucus had a much stronger position to obstruct legislation by withholding it votes, since 76 votes were necessary for legislation to pass. In 1980, Eve resumed his chairmanship of the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus. The following year, Eve was elected unanimously to a committee to study state election law when he complained that no blacks were on the committee even though he said his complaint should have not been taken as an effort to lobby for a position.
Eve and fellow Democrat Griffin remained political rivals throughout their careers. In 1982, Griffin and New York City Mayor Ed Koch
Ed Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
, 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 together for Governor and New York State Lieutenant Governor. Eve adamantly opposed the ticket, speaking in support of Mario Cuomo
Mario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
. Eventually, Griffin decided not to pursue statewide office. In 1983, Deputy Speaker Eve was no longer Caucus Chairman.
In 1984, Eve joined with James F. Notaro, the Liberal Party of New York
Liberal Party of New York
The Liberal Party of New York is a minor American political party that has been active only in the state of New York. Its platform supports a standard set of social liberal policies: it supports right to abortion, increased spending on education, and universal health care.As of 2007, the Liberal...
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. Following Cuomo's 1982 New York State Governors general election victory, Eve became critical of Cuomo's supply side approach to budget balancing, and was acknowledged by Cuomo as a voice of opposition which represented interests such as public housing
Public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
. Eve also served as an adviser to Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
during his 1984 presidential campaign, and after Jackson named his two delegates to the 1984 Democratic Party platform committee, he named Eve as his first alternate. In 1984, Eve was among those involved in a controversy over the use of a state plane to attend a dinner for Paterson. Questions arose about whether it was a community event or a political event due to the possibility that the funds raised at the dinner might be used for a Mayoral campaign. Even after Cuomo was succeeded by Pataki, Eve continued to voice opposition to any attempts to balance the state's budget by cutting taxes. In 1985, Eve sponsored legislation to provide scholarships for the underprivileged and to fund precollege enrichment programs that was described by President of the Associated Medical Schools of New York Dr. Robert Friedlander as landmark.
In 1986, Eve was a contender to replace Stanley Fink
Stanley Fink
Stanley Fink was an American Lawyer and politician.-Life:...
as Speaker of the New York State Assembly
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....
, but the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus was not unified in its efforts to endorse a candidate. Most minority assembly members voted for Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
's Mel Miller
Mel Miller
Melvin H. Miller is an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He graduated from Brooklyn College and New York University School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in 1964, and is a member of the New York County Lawyers Association...
due to the influence of downstate party organizers. 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
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
. In June 1988, Eve spearheaded a group of 12 black state ticket committemembers who protested the absence of a black on the state ticket of Cuomo, Stan Lundine
Stan Lundine
Stanley Nelson Lundine is a politician from Jamestown, New York who served as Mayor of Jamestown, a United States Representative, and lieutenant governor of New York. A Democrat, he was inaugurated Mayor in 1970 and served to 1976 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after the...
and Herman Badillo
Herman Badillo
Herman Badillo is a Bronx, New York politician who has been a borough president, United States Representative, and candidate for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican to be elected to these posts and be a mayoral candidate in the continental United States.-Early years:Badillo was...
, by voting for another candidate, but he was not joined in protest by Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
leaders David Dinkins
David Dinkins
David Norman Dinkins is a former politician from New York City. He was the Mayor of New York City from 1990 through 1993; he was the first and is, to date, the only African American to hold that office.-Early life:...
and Herman Farrell. In November 1988, he was also among the few lawmakers to vote against the budget cuts and the first to call for a delay in their enactment. Eve's outspokenness occasionally attracted opposition to his own interests, as it did later that same year. During his 1988 re-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; Jenkins prevailed in her primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
. During the 1988 Democratic Party presidential primaries
Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 1988
The 1988 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 1988 U.S. presidential election...
, Eve endorsed Jackson over Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
and Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
. In 1993, he endorsed H. Carl McCall, the president of the New York City Board of Education
New York City Board of Education
The New York City Board of Education is the governing body of the New York City Department of Education. The members of the board are appointed by the mayor and by the five borough presidents.-Rise, fall and return of Mayoral Control:...
, for New York State Comptroller
New York State Comptroller
The New York State Comptroller is a state cabinet officer of the U.S. state of New York. The duties of the comptroller include auditing government operations and operating the state's retirement system.-History:...
in a race against Carol Bellamy
Carol Bellamy
Carol Bellamy has been Director of the Peace Corps, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund , and President and CEO of World Learning. In April, 2009, Bellamy was appointed as Chair of the International Baccalaureate Board of Governors...
, Fernando Ferrer
Fernando Ferrer
Fernando James "Freddy" Ferrer was the Borough President of The Bronx from 1987 to 2001, and was a candidate for Mayor of New York in 2001 and the Democratic Party nominee for Mayor in 2005.- Background :...
, the Bronx Borough President, Assemblyman Robin Schimminger
Robin Schimminger
Robin Schimminger represents District 140 in the New York State Assembly, which comprises all of the Town of Tonawanda , the City of Tonawanda in Erie County, and most of the City of North Tonawanda in Niagara County.Elected in 1976, Schimminger had previously served as a member of the Erie County...
, and Joel Giambra
Joel Giambra
Joel Giambra is the former County Executive in Erie County, New York. The county seat is Buffalo, New York, where Giambra currently resides.-Early life:...
. In both 1989 and 1993, Eve considered running for mayor. His wife opposed the 1989 campaign. In 1993, he felt he would have the opportunity to have a Buffalo Mayor he had a working relationship with if Anthony Masiello
Anthony Masiello
Anthony M. Masiello was mayor of Buffalo, New York from 1994 to 2005. Prior to being mayor, he served as a New York State Senator.-Personal and Educational Background:...
were to become mayor, and he, therefore declined to run so that he could endorse Masiello.
In 2000, Eve was challenged by Crystal Peoples-Stokes
Crystal Peoples
-External links:*...
, a member of Grassroots
Grassroots (organization)
Grassroots is a political organization in Erie County, New York, which was founded in 1986 by a group of block club leaders, that is known for successful voter registration and elective placements such as Byron Brown in the Buffalo City Council and Crystal Peoples in the Erie County Legislature...
and the majority leader of the Erie County Legislature. The race was described by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as the toughest election contest of Eve's political career. 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
New York State Comptroller
The New York State Comptroller is a state cabinet officer of the U.S. state of New York. The duties of the comptroller include auditing government operations and operating the state's retirement system.-History:...
H. Carl McCall, United States Representative Charles B. Rangel
Charles B. Rangel
Charles Bernard "Charlie" Rangel is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1971. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the third-longest currently serving member of the House of Representatives. As its most senior member, he is also the Dean of New York's congressional delegation...
, New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver
Sheldon Silver
Sheldon "Shelly" Silver is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from New York. He has held the office of Speaker of the New York State Assembly since 1994.- Personal life :...
, Representative Maxine Waters
Maxine Waters
Maxine Waters is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 29th district, serving since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party....
and his son Eric, who was a veteran New York State campaign manager. Peoples-Stokes's Democratic primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
challenge was almost successful, and it was credited with energizing minority voters to elect Byron Brown
Byron Brown
Byron William Brown II is the 58th and current mayor of Buffalo, New York, elected on November 8, 2005 and is the city's first African-American mayor. He previously served Western New York as a member of the New York State Senate and Buffalo Common Council...
as a New York State Senator.
In 2000, Eve proposed that Pataki declare March 10 as Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Harriet Ross; (1820 – 1913) was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the American Civil War. After escaping from slavery, into which she was born, she made thirteen missions to rescue more than 70 slaves...
day, in honor of the African-American abolitionist who helped bring about the emancipation of many slaves. In 2001 Eve began efforts to have the day declared a state holiday, but the legislation failed passage in the New York State Senate. Tubman had lived over 50 years in , where the Harriet Tubman House is located. The movement to commemorate her spread to her birthplace state, Maryland. Eve continued his efforts in 2002, but the legislation did not pass until 2003, after his retirement.
Political themes
Eve is recognized as "a leader on just about every issue that's important to families", according to Al GoreAl Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
, and for his services 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. Eve's major emphasis is on those at the very bottom of society; he believes that a nation should be judged by how it attends to the needs of its lowest citizens—the homeless, the chronically poor, and the working poor, among whom blacks are numbered disproportionately.
Eve campaigned for the increased availability of health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
services. He legislated against hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
s and advocated against the expansion of legalized gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
to casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s that would effectively tax the economically disadvantaged, although the gambling legislation was nevertheless approved. Eve noted that the vast majority of lottery tickets were bought by those in the lower income bracket, and advocated for greater representation in the New York State jury pools by the economically disadvantaged. He also urged restraint in banking deregulation
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
.
Retirement
New York State Senator George D. MaziarzGeorge D. Maziarz
George D. Maziarz is a Republican politician from New York State. He currently represents the 62nd District in the New York State Senate, which includes Niagara County , all of Orleans County, and the western portion of Monroe County.-Biography:Maziarz is a native of North Tonawanda, New York,...
has described Eve's retirement as a significant loss and an example of why he opposes term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s. 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. By 2004, New York State approved Eve's foundation to provide afterschool tutoring. 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, and he remained active in discussions regarding the allocation of the state sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
. In February 2008, the Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys in Albany dedicated its new conference hall in his honor.
In 2005, Eve's daughter Leecia announced her intention to run for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 2006. When Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
announced he had selected David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
to be his running mate for the 2006 New York State Elections, there was some controversy because Eve had been joined by Dinkins, Rangel, Percy Sutton
Percy Sutton
Percy Ellis Sutton was a prominent black American political and business leader. A civil-rights activist and lawyer, he was also a Freedom Rider and the legal representative for Malcolm X...
and Basil Paterson (who is David Paterson's father) in endorsing his daughter.