Description
W. Averell Harriman's single term as governor represents the only interlude during the period from 1943-1973 in which the Democratic Party held the governorship. Harriman's central subject and correspondence files document the governor's efforts to introduce new programs in the areas of mental health, aging, poverty relief, civil rights, consumer affairs, housing, highways, and aid to education. The records also document the governor's involvement in national politics, especially during the 1956 presidential election.