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Brendan Byrne Papers (1960 - 1982)
Collection IDMss 0007
Size55 linear feet
Collection Description
Brendan T. Byrne was born April 1, 1924 in West Orange, NJ, the fourth of Francis A. Byrne (1888-1973) and Genevieve (Brennan) Byrne's five children. He graduated from West Orange High School and briefly attended Seton Hall University before leaving to enroll in the Army Air Corps in 1943; he saw wartime service as a navigator and received a Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals. After the War, he graduated from Princeton University (1949) and received his LL.B. from Harvard University (1951). He practiced as an attorney in Newark and East Orange and married Jean Featherly in 1953.
Brendan Byrne's public career began in 1955, when he was appointed as assistant counsel to Governor Robert B. Meyner. The next year he was promoted to Executive Secretary, a position he held for three years. In 1959 Governor Meyner appointed him Essex County Prosecutor, and he went on to gain a reputation as a tough prosecutor of dishonest contractors and powerful underworld figures. Byrne served as president of the State Board of Public Utility Commissioners from 1968 to1970, when he was appointed to the New Jersey State Supreme Court by Republican Governor William Cahill. In 1971, he handed down a decision that declared the state law on capital punishment unconstitutional. He resigned from the Court in 1973 to run for governor on the Democratic ticket.
Between 1970 and 1973 seventy-eight New Jersey public officials were indicted by federal grand juries, and Watergate was in the news. Byrne ran on a platform of restoring public confidence in the government. His Republican opponent was Charles Sandman, who attacked Byrne for his reluctance to clarify his positions on some controversial issues such as abortion and protection of the environment. Byrne preferred to set forth his views in somewhat complex position papers. On November 6, 1973, Byrne won by more than 721,000 votes, a result that Newsweek called the "biggest gubernatorial victory in the state's history."
In 1977 Byrne ran for re-election against Republican candidate Raymond H. Bateman. Despite being considered the underdog in the race, Byrne won again by a large majority. His legacy as governor includes the Meadowland Sports Complex, development of the casinos of Atlantic City, the Pinelands Preservation Act, and a commitment to improving public education.
After stepping down as governor in 1982, Byrne returned to his law practice, co-wrote a column in the Star-Ledger with his gubernatorial successor Thomas Kean, and taught classes at Princeton University and Rutgers. He lives in New Jersey with his second wife, Ruthi Zinn.
Brendan Byrne's public career began in 1955, when he was appointed as assistant counsel to Governor Robert B. Meyner. The next year he was promoted to Executive Secretary, a position he held for three years. In 1959 Governor Meyner appointed him Essex County Prosecutor, and he went on to gain a reputation as a tough prosecutor of dishonest contractors and powerful underworld figures. Byrne served as president of the State Board of Public Utility Commissioners from 1968 to1970, when he was appointed to the New Jersey State Supreme Court by Republican Governor William Cahill. In 1971, he handed down a decision that declared the state law on capital punishment unconstitutional. He resigned from the Court in 1973 to run for governor on the Democratic ticket.
Between 1970 and 1973 seventy-eight New Jersey public officials were indicted by federal grand juries, and Watergate was in the news. Byrne ran on a platform of restoring public confidence in the government. His Republican opponent was Charles Sandman, who attacked Byrne for his reluctance to clarify his positions on some controversial issues such as abortion and protection of the environment. Byrne preferred to set forth his views in somewhat complex position papers. On November 6, 1973, Byrne won by more than 721,000 votes, a result that Newsweek called the "biggest gubernatorial victory in the state's history."
In 1977 Byrne ran for re-election against Republican candidate Raymond H. Bateman. Despite being considered the underdog in the race, Byrne won again by a large majority. His legacy as governor includes the Meadowland Sports Complex, development of the casinos of Atlantic City, the Pinelands Preservation Act, and a commitment to improving public education.
After stepping down as governor in 1982, Byrne returned to his law practice, co-wrote a column in the Star-Ledger with his gubernatorial successor Thomas Kean, and taught classes at Princeton University and Rutgers. He lives in New Jersey with his second wife, Ruthi Zinn.
Collection Contents
The collection consists mostly of materials related to Byrne's campaigns for governor, with a smaller amount of personal material and documentation of his Democratic Party activity. The bulk of the collection relates to the 1973 gubernatorial campaign. Contents include issue and research files, position papers, schedules, financial data, information on opponent Charles Sandman, internal memos, correspondence, and Byrne's public statements and press releases. The collection contains similar material on Byrne's re-election campaign against Raymond Bateman in 1977. The remainder of the collection consists of files on Democratic committees at the state and national level, awards, clippings, and audio-visual materials. Audiotapes include some recordings of speeches by Byrne.
NOTE: At present the collection is only partially processed; the arrangement may change over time.
Materials in the collection contain very few direct references to Newark; there are very occasional references to campaign stops in the city and some correspondence with Newark-based attorneys. Newark-related items include the following:
Box 18: contains "topical" [i.e. issue] note cards and files (1973), including, in a folder labeled "Topical Misc.", a lengthy excerpt (late 1960s) from Byrne's testimony before a Commission considering changes to the laws relating to pornography and obscenity. Arthur Magnussun, who had worked closely with Byrne and Essex County Sheriff Duffy on such cases was present at the hearing. Byrne speaks of his experience in Newark, as Essex County Prosecutor, and talks about how the general view (and presumably his own) on obscenity has liberalized; citing one case, he says that "even a jury would laugh at that kind of evidence" today.
Box 23: campaign correspondence, 1973, with memos, background material on issues, etc., includes, in Folder "Correspondence Internal #2," a lengthy memo, dated October 3, regarding an upcoming interview session with Star-Ledger staff. The memo, by Bob Smartt, includes a paragraph summary on each of the ten Star-Ledger reporters expected to attend, with comments and suggestions on how to deal with them. In the same folder are: memos of advice on how to approach the black and Jewish communities; a memo from Larry Vereen, dated September 30, outlining campaign strategy re: the black community and plans for a meeting with black political leaders (including <span class="highlight_word">Kennethspan> Gibson, Wynona Lipman, etc.). The Folder "Correspondence Letters" includes letters (October 2 and 18) from Newark Attorney Howard T. Rosen, who is writing speeches for Byrne; a letter from Richard J. Hughes, addressed from his Newark law office, recommending someone for employment (June 26); a letter from James B. Kelley, Executive Director, Council for Higher Education in Newark (August 6) enclosing his brief paper on "Higher Education in Newark"; a letter from Newark attorney James Zazzali to Lewis Kaden re: the Labor Law Section of the New Jersey Bar Association (October 15). The Folder "Public Statements Correspondence: in a packet labeled "Questionnaires" includes a letter from the Milk Driver and Dairy Employee Local Union 680 (IBT), Newark (September 5) re: pending legislation
Box 24: incoming correspondence, filed alphabetically. Folder "N" includes letters from attorney Ralph Neibart of Newark and from Shirley Jarmell of Zion Towers, Newark, expressing the support of the "Pioneer Women" of Newark (a Zionist organization) for Byrne and asking for a contribution; Folder "W" includes a letter from Newark attorney Rodman C. Herman, expressing support
Box 26: campaign correspondence, outgoing, 1973. Letters are filed alphabetically, by topic. In Folder "Unions" is a letter to Newark attorney James Zazzali regarding support from various unions (October 15t); and letter to Carol A. Graves, president of the Newark Teachers Union, Local 46, thanking the union for its for endorsement (October 30)
Box 28: includes several files of material regarding legal challenges to Byrne's 1977 gubernatorial campaign by Republican candidate Raymond Bateman; legal advice is sought from the Newark law firm Hellring, Lindeman, Landau and Siegal; Folder "Correspondence Inner Office Memos #2" includes an Eagleton Institute press release mentioning the withdrawal from the race of Independent candidate Anthony Imperiale of Newark and estimating how much of the vote he would have won (September 30)
NOTE: At present the collection is only partially processed; the arrangement may change over time.
Materials in the collection contain very few direct references to Newark; there are very occasional references to campaign stops in the city and some correspondence with Newark-based attorneys. Newark-related items include the following:
Box 18: contains "topical" [i.e. issue] note cards and files (1973), including, in a folder labeled "Topical Misc.", a lengthy excerpt (late 1960s) from Byrne's testimony before a Commission considering changes to the laws relating to pornography and obscenity. Arthur Magnussun, who had worked closely with Byrne and Essex County Sheriff Duffy on such cases was present at the hearing. Byrne speaks of his experience in Newark, as Essex County Prosecutor, and talks about how the general view (and presumably his own) on obscenity has liberalized; citing one case, he says that "even a jury would laugh at that kind of evidence" today.
Box 23: campaign correspondence, 1973, with memos, background material on issues, etc., includes, in Folder "Correspondence Internal #2," a lengthy memo, dated October 3, regarding an upcoming interview session with Star-Ledger staff. The memo, by Bob Smartt, includes a paragraph summary on each of the ten Star-Ledger reporters expected to attend, with comments and suggestions on how to deal with them. In the same folder are: memos of advice on how to approach the black and Jewish communities; a memo from Larry Vereen, dated September 30, outlining campaign strategy re: the black community and plans for a meeting with black political leaders (including <span class="highlight_word">Kennethspan> Gibson, Wynona Lipman, etc.). The Folder "Correspondence Letters" includes letters (October 2 and 18) from Newark Attorney Howard T. Rosen, who is writing speeches for Byrne; a letter from Richard J. Hughes, addressed from his Newark law office, recommending someone for employment (June 26); a letter from James B. Kelley, Executive Director, Council for Higher Education in Newark (August 6) enclosing his brief paper on "Higher Education in Newark"; a letter from Newark attorney James Zazzali to Lewis Kaden re: the Labor Law Section of the New Jersey Bar Association (October 15). The Folder "Public Statements Correspondence: in a packet labeled "Questionnaires" includes a letter from the Milk Driver and Dairy Employee Local Union 680 (IBT), Newark (September 5) re: pending legislation
Box 24: incoming correspondence, filed alphabetically. Folder "N" includes letters from attorney Ralph Neibart of Newark and from Shirley Jarmell of Zion Towers, Newark, expressing the support of the "Pioneer Women" of Newark (a Zionist organization) for Byrne and asking for a contribution; Folder "W" includes a letter from Newark attorney Rodman C. Herman, expressing support
Box 26: campaign correspondence, outgoing, 1973. Letters are filed alphabetically, by topic. In Folder "Unions" is a letter to Newark attorney James Zazzali regarding support from various unions (October 15t); and letter to Carol A. Graves, president of the Newark Teachers Union, Local 46, thanking the union for its for endorsement (October 30)
Box 28: includes several files of material regarding legal challenges to Byrne's 1977 gubernatorial campaign by Republican candidate Raymond Bateman; legal advice is sought from the Newark law firm Hellring, Lindeman, Landau and Siegal; Folder "Correspondence Inner Office Memos #2" includes an Eagleton Institute press release mentioning the withdrawal from the race of Independent candidate Anthony Imperiale of Newark and estimating how much of the vote he would have won (September 30)
FormatTextual materials
SubjectsAfrican-American History / Civil Rights; Labor History; Law / Lawyers / Courts; Politics and Government
Time Period20th Century
LanguageEnglish
Access policyOpen for research
ProcessedYes
Finding AidYes