Herman Badillo
| Herman Badillo | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 21st district |
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In office January 3, 1973 – December 31, 1977 |
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| Preceded by | James H. Scheuer |
| Succeeded by | Robert Garcia |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 22nd district |
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In office January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1973 |
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| Preceded by | Jacob H. Gilbert |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan B. Bingham |
| 8th Borough President of The Bronx | |
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In office 1966–1970 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph F. Periconi |
| Succeeded by | Robert Abrams |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 21, 1929 Caguas, Puerto Rico |
| Died | December 3, 2014 (aged 85) Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Nationality | United States |
| Political party | Democratic until the late 1990s; afterward Republican |
| Alma mater |
Brooklyn Law School City College of New York |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Religion | Baptist |
Herman Badillo (pronounced bah-DEE-yoh; August 21, 1929 – December 3, 2014) was an American politician who served as borough president of The Bronx and United States Representative, and ran for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican elected to these posts, and the first Puerto Rican mayoral candidate in a major city in the continental United States.
Badillo was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico. When he was 11 years old, both of his parents died of tuberculosis and he was sent to live with his aunt in New York City. After graduating from the public school system at Haaren High School, Badillo attended and earned a Bachelor's degree from the City College of New York in 1951. In 1954 he received an LL.B. from Brooklyn Law School, graduating first in his class. The next year he was admitted to the New York State Bar. In 1956, he also became a certified public accountant.
After joining the Caribe Democratic Club in 1958, Badillo held various offices within the City and State, including Bronx Borough President in 1966. Prior to that he served as New York Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development.
Embarking on his role as Bronx Borough President in January 1966, Badillo was met with the ongoing advocacy for the preservation of Bronx Borough Hall as a landmark, led by prior Bronx Borough President Joseph F. Periconi. Periconi had, along with several historians, successfully attained landmark status for the building in October 1965, bestowed by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. It was then placed under final review by the Board of Estimate of New York City. On January 27, 1966, the last day of the 90-day review period, the Board voted to revoke the landmark status, deferring to the new incumbent's view on the matter. In 1968 a mysterious fire burned part of the interior. Though still repairable, it was demolished in 1969.
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