A Piece of New York History
Carmine De Sapio: The Last of the Tammany Hall Bosses Dies at 95

By Erick Williams with additional information by Vincent P. Cuccia


A piece of New York history has died. Carmine De Sapio, the last of the Tammany Hall bosses, as he was called, died July 27th in his district of Greenwich Village after a long illness.
Carmine Gerard De Sapio was born in the district of Greenwich Village of New York City on December 10, 1908. His mother was also born in the United States, but her parents came over from Italy. His father was from Sicily and owned a fleet of horse drawn trucks that the younger De Sapio helped load and deliver before going off to school in the mornings.
De Sapio began his career as an errand boy for the then corrupt Tammany Hall. But this experience would have a lasting influence on him. Before there were social welfare programs, Tammany Hall would give out turkeys at holidays to its loyal constituents, who were mostly recent immigrants. De Sapio was moved by the sight of women and children standing in lines that stretched around the block for these handouts.
In 1939 he first ran for district leader of Greenwich Village. Although, he won by 51 votes, the Irish Americans, who dominated Tammany Hall, refused to recognize his victory, because he was Italian American. Undaunted, De Sapio ran two more times and, in 1943, his victory was recognized.
De Sapio’s political muscle was formidable, stretching all the way from the five boroughs into the halls of Washington. He was a contemporary of such New York political figures as Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, Governor Al Smith and the late noted attorney and lawmaker Paul O’Dwyer.
Tammany Hall, as the Manhattan Democratic Party was known, was the dominant political force in New York in the early 20th century. That changed with the scandal-ridden administration of Mayor Jimmy Walker in the 1920’s. Walker’s downfall led to the rise of Fiorello La Guardia to mayor in the 1930’s. Yet, following the end of WWII, Carmine De Sapio, single handedly resurrected Tammany Hall and brought two New York politicians to office, Averill Harriman to the governorship and Robert Wager to City Hall. Wagner was mayor of the Big Apple from 1953 to 1966.
Dr. Joseph Scelsa, City University Professor at Queens College and President of the Italian American Museum, in an interview with WBAI, admitted he had never met De Sapio but said “His influence of New York politics and history runs deep. He basically extended the reach, for good or for bad, of Tammany Hall beyond Manhattan throughout the five boroughs, and some would say nationally as well. He has been credited with naming many mayors and governors and, some said he would even be able to name a president.”
Dr. Scelsa called De Sapio an “icon in the Italian American community.” This was due to De Sapio’s support of liberal causes. De Sapio championed legislation that called for rent control and lowering the voting age to 18. He also named Anthony Mendez, the first Puerto Rican district leader of Manhattan and Hulan Jack, the first African American borough president.
Dr. Scelsa concluded, “Unfortunately, as it is with many of our icons, even though, they were doing really wonderful deeds, he faded into obscurity. He became very reclusive in his declining years, not granting too many interviews and basically trying to keep a very private life. Even though he continued to live in the district of Greenwich Village, and, although, a meticulous person, he led a relatively humble lifestyle, compared to what one would think of someone who had amassed such a power.”
According to De Sapio’s obituary, by Jonathan Kandell, in the New York Times, De Sapio’s power could be seen “at fund-raising dinners, favor-seekers would push past Governor Harriman and Mayor Wagner to shake the hand of Mr. De Sapio, whom they viewed as the most powerful politician in the room.”
“He brought Italian American loyalty to the office,” said Dr. Scelsa. “As much as people can criticize Italian Americans for their style, they cannot criticize them for their loyalty.” And De Sapio was as loyal to his constituents as they were to him. “He was very benevolent to those who were loyal and followed the party and would very much take care them. He took care of the little people and treated them very well,” said Dr. Scelsa.
This benevolence included finding jobs for people in New York. According to Dr. Scelsa the jobs were, “blue collar jobs that he obtained for people through his office and through his club.”
That club was influential across New York until 1961. De Sapio lost his position to rising democratic star Edward I. Koch. With political power and influence, however, come enemies, De Sapio learned first hand. He came under attack from reformers inside the Democratic Party who said he was both authoritarian and corrupt. “Mr. Wagner,” according to the New York Times, “won re-election by running a reformist campaign that denounced his former patron, Mr. De Sapio, as an undemocratic practitioner of Tammany machine.” This from the man De Sapio helped elect mayor.
Furthermore, a senate investigation linked him to New York organized crime boss Frank Costello. By 1961 his career was over. And in 1969, he was brought up on charges of petty bribery, for which he served two years in prison.
For three decades De Sapio lived a quiet life in Greenwich Village, that very community that brought him to political forefront. Carmine De Sapio, last of the Tammany Hall bosses, and last of the leaders of the old style New York Democratic Party machine. He was 95.