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Oral history interview with Alton Marshall, 2003.

Creator: Marshall, Alton, 1921-2007
Project: Individual interviews oral history collection.
(see all project interviews)
Phys. Desc. :transcript 452 pages sound recording 16 audio discs : digital ; 3 in.
Location: Columbia Center for Oral History
Full CLIO record >>

Biographical Note

Chief executive officer

Scope and Contents

Born Flint, MI; family: working-class family, father barber, two marriages; education: first generation college, Fenton High School, Hillsdale College, the 300 Program and participation in the Maxwell School; military: Marine Corps experiences beginning 1942--WWII, extremism, injuries, Iwo Jima; professional/New York State government: municipal research center in Onondaga County with committee on taxes, budget examiner, Public Service Commission secretary 1951, Division of Budget director 1961-1965, secretary to governor Nelson A. Rockefeller 1965-1970, chairman of the boards of Rockefeller Center Management Corporation, Rockefeller Center Development Corporation Rockefeller Center Construction Corporation, Radio City Music Hall, and a director of other subsidiaries; work under Rockefeller administration: New York City construction and improvement (World Trade Centers, West Side Highway, transit, city revival, drug laws), New York education system (expansion and improvement of state universities (SUNY, CUNY)), environment (Pure Water and Land Use Project), arts (Lincoln Center, support for dance, opera, theater, Council of Arts), work as campaign manager for Rockefeller's presidential campaign, retirement from public service and move to management of Rockefeller Center; reflections on Nelson A. Rockefeller: relationship with those who worked closely with him, differences with other political leaders and difficulties as a liberal republican in being accepted by the Republican Party, position as vice president under Gerald R. Ford but failure at presidential nomination, relations with reporters and media, handling of New York riots and civil disobedience during "burn, baby, burn" period, relationship with Henry A. Kissinger and international dealings, death 1979

Subjects

Access Conditions

Copyright by The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 2007

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